A McMaster University research team specializing in public health recently published a 40-page report analyzing maternal and child health research in Morocco.
The report, which examined studies published between 2000 and 2022, highlighted Morocco’s significant progress in reproductive health.
Notably, the country achieved the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 5 threshold by reducing maternal mortality by 35% between 2010 and 2016, according to the National Population and Health Survey.
Canadian researchers reviewed a significant number of scientific studies on maternal and family health, published in both French and English. Their findings revealed that Moroccan researchers were responsible for approximately 81.9% of these studies, followed by Europeans at 9.7% and Americans at 7.5%.
They also found that 69.1% of these scientific studies were written in English and 30% in French, with a complete absence of any scientific publications in Arabic.
The same source revealed a geographical disparity in the distribution of these studies. The Rabat-Salé-Kénitra region accounted for 27.9% of the studies, followed by the Casablanca-Settat region with 18.9%, the Marrakech-Safi region with 16.7%, and the Fès-Meknès region with 9.2% of the total research.
However, certain regions, say the findings, were not included in any studies during the first 22 years of the new millennium.
It also noted that “following the establishment of university hospitals in Marrakech, Fès, and Oujda, the number of scientific studies on maternal health in the regions they represent increased.”
The same source explained that research conducted in Morocco focused on 34 topics, including abortion, AIDS, breastfeeding, diabetes, gynecology, genetics, and newborn health.
The study also highlighted that “certain geographical areas and population groups were not covered by the scientific studies conducted over the 22-year period.”
This suggests that “these regions should be prioritized for inclusion in future research on maternal and child health.”
The study additionally noted that “the number of studies tripled during the second half of the period,” indicating that “the government has prioritized maternal health in its national health action plans for 2008-2025 to achieve the United Nations Millennium Development Goals.”
It indicated that “research topics shifted significantly from family planning and childbirth to other areas during the last 11 years,” as a result of declining infant mortality rates due to an increase in the proportion of births taking place in medical facilities.
However, it later became clear that many of the deaths recorded, according to the findings, could have been avoided.
The study additionally highlighted that “despite significant improvements in health indicators for women and children, there are geographical health disparities that have not been adequately addressed in published research.”
The researchers found that “there are disparities between rural and urban areas, and marginalized geographical areas are often overlooked in research.”
As a result, they said that “most research has focused on urban areas and well-equipped public hospitals in higher-income areas, while less developed rural areas have been neglected and understudied.”
The study concluded that “there is a need for more research that focuses on women’s experiences and their social and economic dimensions, as well as the development of a comprehensive mapping of health research on maternal and infant health in Morocco.”
The Canadian researchers also called for “identifying existing gaps and proposing new areas of study to improve health outcomes in the future.”
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