Speaker of House of Representatives Chairs the Start of the Works of the Thematic Working Group in Charge of Legislation on Healthcare System

The thematic working group in charge of the legislation on the healthcare system held a meeting on Monday, August 31^st, 2020, under the chairmanship of the House's Speaker Habib El Malki. The meeting’s agenda focused on the Group’s tasks and work methodology.

At the onset of the meeting, the House's Speaker confirmed that the Group's work emanates from the provisions of the Rules of Procedure of the House of Representatives. Also, its creation answers to the timeliness of the health sector in our country, which has become a priority in the agenda of the State and the concerned institutions.

In his opening address, Mr. Habib El Malki called up the high Royal view on the healthcare system and the particular attention His Majesty gives to the social protection system in general and citizens' health in particular. In this respect, His Majesty, may God protect him, affirmed that the healthcare system "stems from the fact that those services concern all segments of society. Health care is shaped by the needs and priorities of individuals, families, and societies. It focuses on interrelated aspects of their physical, mental, and social health and well-being, be it in terms of guidance, prevention, treatment, or rehabilitation.” End of the citation of His Majesty the King.

Also, the House’s Speaker and the participants in this meeting stressed the importance of the legal texts on health as they are gates to reform. Despite the said texts’ diversity, actors in the health sector urge their improvement, be it in terms of the framework law, practice, health coverage, paramedical jobs, and the concerned bodies and institutions. The Speaker and the other participants also noted the significance of the initiatives submitted by the members of the House in the form of parliamentary bills. In the same respect, they recalled their content, especially the ones regarding the issues of accessing treatment, health coverage, human resources shortage, social and geographical gaps, medical practice, occupational accidents, the pharmaceutical code, and other legislative initiatives that aim to create the National Advisory Health Council stipulated in the framework law.

Besides, the participants confirmed that the Group aims to scrutinize the healthcare system, identify its flaws, and shed light on numerous issues and legislative needs through hearing sessions and study and outreach days that it will hold. Such events will constitute the basis for a collective awareness to reform the healthcare system in its different aspects and professional, humanitarian, and geographical extents.

As part of foreseeing and organizing the Group's activities, its strategic goals have been defined as follows:

-          The legislative aspect,

-          The material aspect: Infrastructure,

-          The human aspect: Human resources and their shortage,

-          The regional aspect: Achieving regional justice in accessing treatment,

-          Governance and managing the health sector programs.

The Group has also suggested the following work plan:

1-   Holding hearing sessions with the main actors in the healthcare system. The sessions will follow the format of categorical meetings according to the topic under examination.

2-   Holding study days on the following four topics:

- First meeting: The universal health coverage, 

- Second meeting: The professional practice in the public and private sectors (with the participation of representatives of medical and paramedical practitioners),

- Third meeting: The infrastructure and medical map (with the participation of representatives of the concerned government sectors, professionals, and civil society),

- Fourth meeting: A study day with the participation of the Government, the House's Board, the chairpersons of the parliamentary groups and caucus, and the chairpersons of the standing committees to introduce the parliamentary initiative regarding the health sector and evaluate it.

Concerning the time-frame, the participants suggested the following dates to hold the study days:

- First meeting: First half of October,

- Second meeting: Last week of November,

- Third meeting: Second week of December,

-  Fourth meeting: Last week of December.

Finally, the Speaker of the House and the participants praised the conclusions of the first meeting. They also stressed the importance of unifying efforts to bring this important parliamentary project to success, considering it a fundamental pillar for our healthcare system. Speaker of the House of Representatives Habib El Malki and the members of the Group seized this opportunity to commend the efforts of the medical and administrative staff, and all the workers in the public and private health sector, who have proven their proficiency, and have shown a great sacrifice spirit in fighting the coronavirus pandemic. In addition, the House's Speaker affirmed the importance of national consensus and solidarity, calling for a collective engagement to contain the pandemic and limit its propagation.