Morocco is starting to use artificial intelligence in parts of its healthcare system to help doctors and nurses spot health problems earlier, especially in rural areas.
Health Minister Amine Tehraoui said on Monday that the Ministry of Health and Social Protection has launched a programme that uses AI to support ultrasound examinations for pregnant women.
The pilot project is currently being tested in health centres in Aghbala, in Beni Mellal province, and Moulay Bouazza, in Khenifra province.
Tehraoui said the technology will help midwives and healthcare workers carry out and interpret ultrasound scans, improve the quality of diagnoses and identify high-risk pregnancies at an earlier stage.
Many rural areas in Morocco face shortages of specialist doctors, including radiologists and obstetricians. The new system is designed to help healthcare workers detect possible complications sooner and refer patients to hospitals when necessary.
The minister also announced the launch of AI-assisted breast cancer screening at the National Institute of Oncology in Rabat.
He said the technology would help doctors make diagnoses more quickly and accurately, improving the chances of early treatment.
The ministry is working on a national project to gradually connect healthcare facilities through a unified digital system that would allow healthcare providers to follow a patient’s medical history across different healthcare facilities.
Progress has already been made in several regions through the digitisation of hospitals, the integration of primary healthcare centres and the networking of health facilities.
The project would also support the expansion of telemedicine services, particularly in areas where there is a shortage of specialist doctors.
