In Casablanca, the situation at the morgue of Hassani Hospital is provoking strong reactions. According to information reported by the daily newspaper Assabah, the facility is currently using a shipping container as a temporary space to store bodies.
This arrangement reportedly follows the demolition of the hospital’s former mortuary unit. Families are denouncing conditions they consider incompatible with the dignity and respect owed to the deceased.
Hassani Hospital Casablanca: morgue set up in a container
According to Assabah, a metal container has been installed inside the grounds of Hassani Hospital in Casablanca to temporarily replace the old morgue.
The system is described as very basic. The container is said to have two beds but, according to the testimonies quoted, does not appear to be equipped with a refrigeration system.
The lack of appropriate equipment is raising serious questions about how bodies are preserved before they are transferred.
Transfers to the Ar-Rahma forensic medicine unit
The bodies are then reportedly transferred to the forensic medicine department at the Ar-Rahma cemetery.
According to the accounts cited by Assabah, the wait can sometimes reach up to 36 hours before a funeral vehicle arrives.
These delays are fueling the anxiety of families and raising further concerns about the material and sanitary conditions of this temporary arrangement.
Security agents handling the site
The newspaper also reports that private security guards are responsible for part of the day-to-day management of this space.
They place the bodies inside the container and secure it until the time of transfer.
This organization is prompting questions about the responsibilities of the different actors involved and about the procedures applied within the hospital.
Family testimony reignites controversy
A relative of a deceased person quoted by Assabah says he witnessed a particularly distressing scene.
According to his account, a body fell from a stretcher before being moved into the container. The guard on site allegedly asked a passer-by to help move the remains.
If confirmed, this account would highlight the practical difficulties faced by those charged with this sensitive task.
A situation weighing on hospital staff
The controversy does not affect families alone.
Medical and paramedical staff at Hassani Hospital in Casablanca are also working in an environment marked by limited resources.
Doctors and nurses must provide daily care for emergency patients, women in the maternity ward and those in the hospital’s other departments.
The conditions surrounding the morgue are adding a new source of tension in a public hospital already facing the broader challenges of the health sector.
The issue of dignity for the deceased
Beyond the material aspects, the case raises a fundamental question: the respect owed to people who have died and to their families.
A hospital morgue is expected to meet clear standards in terms of preservation, hygiene and the handling of bodies.
The situation reported at Hassani Hospital therefore reopens the debate on the resources allocated to public facilities and on the solutions put in place when key infrastructure becomes unavailable.
At this stage, the information available is mainly based on what has been published by Assabah and on the testimonies cited by the newspaper. An official response from the hospital management or the Ministry of Health would help clarify the situation and the measures being considered.
External sources:
Don’t miss out on the latest news from the diaspora!
Sign up for our next newsletter to receive our practical guides, advice (on procedures and investment) and the latest news for French nationals living abroad, delivered straight to your inbox.
