Algeria adopts national plan against bird flu pandemic

11/10/2005

[File] Tou

Health Minister Amar Tou revealed during a conference on Monday (10 October) in Algiers that a national plan has been developed to counter the bird flu pandemic. An intelligence system has been established, with $17m earmarked for vaccines and medicines.

The World Health Organisation had asked all countries "to work out preparatory plans in accordance with their own capacities to tackle such an emergency". (El Moudjahid, APS)

Morocco to host first international conference on children's health in Islamic world

10/10/2005

Rabat is to host the first ministerial conference on children's health in the Islamic world on 7 November. The Organisation of Islamic Conferences, the Islamic Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation and the UNICEF are sponsoring the two-day event.

The three organisations recently published a report on the challenges facing nearly 600 million children in the Islamic world. Participants are to discuss issues including poverty, an increase in mortality rates among children and women, the impact of HIV/AIDS infection, and declining enrollment in primary schools. (ANSAmed)

Tunisia, Senegal sign convention for co-operation in health sector

09/10/2005

[AFP] Kechrid

Tunisia and Senegal signed a convention for co-operation in the health sector on Friday (7 October), providing for the transfer of medical treatment for Senegalese government workers and their families to Tunisian public hospitals. The document was signed by Tunisian Minister of Public Health Mohamed Ridha Kechrid and Senegalese Minister of Civil Service, Labour, and Professional Organisations Adama Sall during his working visit in Tunisia.

Kechrid described as "very encouraging" the prospects for co-operation and expressed his confidence that Tunisia would make every effort to implement the convention. Sall noted the signing of the convention opens new opportunities for bilateral co-operation and said Senegal is also hoping to benefit from Tunisian medical experience and training methods. (Angola Press, TAP)

Casablanca, Essaouira beaches awarded Pavillon Bleu ecology prize

04/10/2005

[File]

The Moroccan beaches of Aïn Diab in Casablanca and Essaouira were awarded the international Pavillon Bleu distinction on Sunday (2 October). The distinction acknowledges villages and marinas for their actions towards environmental protection and quality preservation. Princess Lalla Hasna, chairwoman of the Mohammed VI Foundation for Environmental Protection, presided over the award ceremony

The princess indicated Morocco boasts a variety of high quality beaches both on the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts. "Our foundation is resolved to go ahead so that all our beaches meet the standards required by this label", she pledged. (MAP)

Project for Euro-Mediterranean health co-operation proposed in Hammamet

04/10/2005

Morocco, France and Egypt have submitted a proposal for a project of Euro-Mediterranean co-operation in the health sector that calls for an all-out mobilisation of Mediterranean partners to fight diseases and ensure access to healthcare. The document was presented during the ministerial meeting of the 11 members of the Euro-Mediterranean Forum held 1-2 October in Hammamet, Tunisia.

The proposal specifically targets fighting contagious diseases, promoting mother and child health and fighting cancer. It suggests a network between specialised hospitals to assess the epidemiological situation in the region and provide training in epidemiological data collection. It also calls for pursuing the project of an e-hospital (Euromed), which was launched in Algiers in 2004, as well as regular Euro-Mediterranean ministerial meetings. (MAP)

Kidney-failure patients to protest at Moroccan Ministry of Health

02/10/2005

A number of people suffering from kidney failure will gather Thursday (6 October) in front of the Ministry of Health to protest the shortage of nurses in public facilities recently opened by the ministry.

The Moroccan Association for Kidney Failure said, "these conditions oblige patients to seek treatment in private clinics for 600 dirhams per session, bearing in mind that such an illness requires three treatment sessions per week."

While an agreement between the association and the Ministry of Health called for fair prices at the public facilities, the association notes, "the kidney-failure patients can not afford the 350 dirhams for each treatment session fixed by the ministry." (MAP)

Denmark to open new insulin-manufacturing unit in Algeria

28/09/2005

Danish Ambassador to Algeria Bo Eric Weber announced on Tuesday (27 September) that the new insulin-manufacturing unit of Novo Nordisk in Algeria would start operations January 2006. He made the statement during an official visit by a delegation from the Danish municipality of Kalumdborg to Tizi Ouzou.

A folk troupe from the municipality performed for children in the paеdiatric unit of the Bab El- Oued hospital. Actor Joan Praest Linde said, "These shows are very common in our country, they are even regarded as a therapy for patients, especially for children."

She also conducted a class for the paediatrics staff and members of various NGOs on dealing with sick children. Another class is scheduled for Wednesday at the House of Culture in Tizi Ouzou. (Liberte)

Saudi Development Fund grants Morocco 264m dirhams for health projects

27/09/2005

[File] Oualalou

The Saudi Development Fund has granted Morocco two loans worth 264m dirhams for building and equipping two university health centres in Marrakech and Fez. The funds will be used also for improving health services at the regional level, ensuring the continuous training of doctors and improving instruction for medical students.

The agreement was signed on Saturday (24 September) in Washington by Moroccan Minister of Finance and Privatiation Fathallah Oualalou and Saudi Minister of Finance and Board Chairman of the Fund Dr Ibrahim Abdulaziz on the sidelines of the World Bank and IMF annual meetings. The new loans bring the total Saudi Fund for Development contributions for projects in Morocco to about 3 billion dirhams. (MAP, Morocco Times, L'Economiste)