Morocco’s mental health plan: nearly 4 billion dirhams by 2030

Morocco has unveiled the Morocco Mental Health Plan 2030, a nationwide programme worth nearly 4 billion dirhams to strengthen care for people living with mental disorders.

Morocco Mental Health Plan 2030: what to know

Officially presented on 3 September in Rabat by Health and Social Protection Minister Amine Tehraoui, the Morocco Mental Health Plan 2030 responds to a stark reality: 6.5 million people in the country live with a mental health condition, including 2 million children and young people.

According to the figures released, around 85% of those affected do not receive the care they need. Authorities are therefore planning a multi‑year investment of about 4 billion dirhams to expand services and give mental health a clearer structure within the public system.

More beds, more hospitals and more local services

One core component of the Plan is to increase psychiatric capacity in public facilities. By 2030, the ministry aims to:

• raise the number of mental health beds from 2,466 to about 4,728;
• increase psychiatric hospitals from 10 to 17;
• expand intermediate structures from 4 to 24.

The stated goal is to cover all regions and bring services closer to people, notably by embedding mental health into primary health care. In practice, this should allow earlier detection, faster referrals and less reliance on major urban centres.

Scaling up human resources

The shortage of specialists is another major issue addressed by the Morocco Mental Health Plan 2030. Authorities are planning a significant increase in public‑sector staff.

The number of psychologists in the public system is expected to rise from 32 today to 786. Training capacity should reach 124 psychiatrists a year, compared with 36 at present, and 750 mental health nurses per year, up from 490.

The Plan also announces the introduction of a dedicated legal framework to regulate the profession of psychologist, a long‑standing demand from professionals.

Prevention, social reintegration and focus on vulnerable groups

Structured around three strategic pillars, four enabling conditions and 86 actions and measures, the programme stresses prevention, early detection, treatment, rehabilitation and social reintegration.

Particular attention is promised for children, young people and vulnerable groups. The ambition is to create stronger links between schools, hospitals, social services and community actors, in order to reduce breaks in care.

What it means for Moroccans living abroad

For Moroccans living abroad who still have close family in the country, these reforms could make it easier to arrange specialist care during trips back home, especially for children and older relatives.

Stronger regional facilities and the integration of mental health in primary care should, over time, reduce costly travel to major cities. Moroccans considering a permanent return may also find a system better equipped to ensure continuity of care.

The practical details of implementation and access to the new services will need to be monitored in the coming years through official announcements and institutional portals, including the official website dedicated to Moroccans living abroad for relevant background information.

For now, the launch of this plan marks an important step in recognising mental health as a public priority in Morocco, backed by clear targets and a timeline running to 2030.

For more context, readers can follow Canal212 news for Moroccans abroad.