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- Lifesaving healthcare for remote Moroccan communities
Innovative telemedicine project brings lifesaving healthcare to remote Moroccan communities
In the rugged foothills of the eastern Atlas Mountains, where winding roads and long travel times have long limited access to specialist medical care, a groundbreaking initiative is reshaping healthcare delivery for some of Morocco’s most remote communities. Thanks to the joint efforts of the Fondation de l’Oriental and PUM, supported by the Moroccan Society of Nephrology (ISAAD) and the University Hospital Center (CHU) in Fez, telemedicine has become a lifeline for dialysis patients in the province of Figuig.
At the heart of this initiative lies the hemodialysis center in Beni Tadjit, a town located over 350 kilometers from Fez. Operated by the Fondation de l’Oriental, the center is equipped with eight dialysis units and a skilled team of nurses. Yet the absence of full-time nephrologists, due to the center’s remote location, presented a critical challenge.
Digital
innovation
In response, the Foundation turned to digital innovation – and international cooperation. PUM expert Dr. Hans Kerkkamp led the implementation of a telemedicine system linking Beni Tadjit’s dialysis center to the CHU in Fez. Over the course of several months, Hans Kerkkamp coordinated weekly virtual meetings with key stakeholders, including ISAAD, the Fez Faculty of Medicine, and technical partners Spectator Health Care and Inaya Santé.
Hans Kerkkamp traveled to Morocco to consolidate the project on the ground. After giving a lecture on telemedicine at the Faculty of Medicine in Fez and reviewing training infrastructure, he visited the Beni Tadjit center to assess the live connection between the center and the CHU. His visit culminated in the formal signing of a cooperation agreement between PUM, ISAAD, and the Fondation de l’Oriental at the dialysis center itself.
Impact on the
community
The impact was immediate. With the telemedicine link active, patients at Beni Tadjit can now be monitored remotely by doctors at the CHU, providing real-time medical oversight without the need for lengthy travel. For the patients and their families, the results have been transformative — improved safety, peace of mind, and better continuity of care.
Following the success of the project, the Fondation de l’Oriental has requested to work together with PUM for a second telemedicine initiative: enabling remote prenatal care for pregnant women in Talsint , where no gynecologist is currently available. Inspired by the effective deployment of technology in dialysis care, the Foundation sees telemedicine as a sustainable, scalable solution for rural health challenges across the province.
By pairing local commitment with international expertise and technological innovation, this partnership has not only improved lives in the short term – but it has also set a powerful precedent for how remote regions can access world-class care through digital connection.
Interested in this project? Get in touch with
Lahcen Hasnaoui
Representative Morocco, Rabat
