Rabat, Morocco — Morocco is confronting a deepening mental health emergency after the government disclosed that nearly 48.9 percent of its population is expected to experience a mental health disorder at some point in their lifetime, exposing decades of neglect in the country’s public health system.
The revelation was made in November 2024 by Morocco’s Minister of Health, Amine Tahraoui, who described the situation as a national concern requiring urgent structural reforms. According to official data, 26 percent of Moroccans may suffer from depression, 9 percent from anxiety disorders, 5.6 percent from psychotic conditions, while schizophrenia affects about 1 percent of the population.
Despite the alarming prevalence, Morocco’s capacity to respond remains dangerously limited. The country currently has only one psychiatrist per 100,000 people, far below international standards, alongside a mental health infrastructure that provides just 6.43 hospital beds per 100,000 citizens. These shortages have left thousands without access to timely diagnosis, treatment, or long-term care.
Health experts warn that untreated mental illness is increasingly linked to rising unemployment stress, substance abuse, school dropouts, and social instability—particularly among young people. Mental health advocates say the situation has been worsened by outdated policies, noting that Morocco’s mental health legal framework has not been revised since 1959.
In response to mounting public pressure, the government has pledged a series of reforms aimed at modernizing the sector. These include plans to update mental health legislation, create 108 new mental health positions between 2024 and 2025, and strengthen mental health training within primary healthcare services to ensure earlier detection and community-level support.
The announcement comes amid youth-led protests that intensified in late 2025, driven largely by Generation Z activists demanding improved public services, including accessible healthcare and mental health support. Protesters argue that mental well-being can no longer be treated as a secondary issue in a society grappling with economic uncertainty and social change.
As Morocco faces growing internal pressure to act, analysts say the success of the promised reforms will depend not only on policy announcements but on sustained funding, workforce development, and the political will to treat mental health as a core component of national development.
For millions of Moroccans silently battling psychological distress, the coming years may determine whether these commitments lead to meaningful change—or remain another missed opportunity.
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