Morocco is set to accelerate the pace of screening for potential COVID-19 infections, with a plan to perform 10,000 tests per day, according to economic news outlet L’economiste.
The government’s plan to increase testing for the novel coronavirus will involve generalizing screening tests at the level of the country’s university hospital centers, instead of restricting them to three laboratories.
Screening tests are currently performed at the National Institute of Health in Rabat, the Pasteur Institute of Morocco in Casablanca, and the Military Hospital Mohammed V in Rabat. The new plan will apply to public laboratories and will not involve private medical centers.
The decision to perform more screening tests comes after the Ministry of Economy, Finance, and Administration Reform said that it has allocated MAD 2 billion ($2 million) to upgrade the country’s healthcare system.
The move aims to help with early identification of as many COVID-19 cases as possible to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Morocco recently allocated a sum of MAD 2 billion ($200 million) to purchase 1,000 recovery beds, 500 respiratory apparatuses, 100,000 blood collection kits, x-ray devices, a set of pharmaceutical materials, medical consumables, and medical gases.
Upgrading screening tests for COVID-19 and upgrading the country’s health system as a whole rank among Morocco’s first priorities. To this end, King Mohammed VI ordered the creation of the Special Fund for the Management and Response to COVID-19on March 15.
Accruing more than MAD 30 billion ($3 billion) in donations, the fund will cover expenses related to upgrading the health system and alleviating the repercussions of the COVID-19 crisis on Morocco’s economy and society.