Morocco is one of the 9 countries in WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region to have adopted a national plan to accelerate progress on maternal and child health over the past year. The Moroccan plan， which runs up to the 2015 Millennium Development Goals (MDG) deadline， was launched by the Moroccan Minister of Health， His Excellency Dr El Houssaine Louardi， and Dr Ala Alwan， WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Region， on 13 November 2013 in Rabat.

Morocco has already made substantial progress in reducing deaths among mothers and children. The country’s maternal mortality ratio fell by 67% between 1990 and 2010 and the under-five mortality rate dropped by 60% between 1990 and 2011.

The new plan aims to bring about even faster progress. It sets the country on course to achieve reductions in under-five and maternal mortality of 70% and 82%， respectively， from the 1990 levels by 2015.

\"This plan is going to make a real difference for women and children living in areas of the country where health services are most in need of strengthening.\" Dr Souteyrand， WHO Representative， Morocco. The Moroccan plan targets 9 regions—home to 66% of the population—that currently have lower coverage for maternal and child health services due to difficulties accessing health services in remote areas， a shortage of trained health workers， and low quality of services. Under the plan， services will be available for free， equipment and infrastructure will be upgraded， health workers will get more training on best practices， communities will be involved as an interface between the population and health services， and accountability mechanisms will be put in place at regional and local levels. Transportation systems will be improved so that pregnant women can travel safely from home to hospital， and those with complications will be able to get caesarean sections.

“This plan is critical for Morocco to accelerate reductions in maternal and child deaths，” said Dr Abdelali Belghiti Alaoui， Secretary General of the Moroccan Ministry of Health. “With WHO’s support， the Ministry of Health now has a roadmap to achieve MDGs 4 and 5.”