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The Ministry of Health and Social Protection on Thursday launched in Rabat the national platform for the Maternal Death Surveillance and Response System (SSDMAR), a new mechanism designed to improve the quality of care provided to mothers and newborns. The announcement follows a series of maternal deaths recorded in Agadir, which triggered widespread protests last October and accelerated demands for reform.
Developed by the Ministry, the SSDMAR is an innovative digital tool that enables the monitoring, analysis, and prevention of deaths linked to pregnancy, childbirth, and the neonatal period. It is intended to identify the root causes of these deaths, determine the risk factors involved, and recommend corrective and preventive measures to reduce avoidable fatalities and enhance the overall quality of maternal and neonatal care.
Speaking at the launch event, Minister of Health and Social Protection Amine Tahraoui said the SSDMAR represents an important step forward in overhauling the national health system. It reflects the Ministry’s commitment to introducing modern mechanisms that strengthen the performance of healthcare facilities across all regions of the country.
The Minister stressed that the platform aims to protect the lives of mothers and newborns by enabling the analysis of care pathways, detecting dysfunctions, and ensuring follow-up on corrective actions at both national and regional levels. Its rollout will be gradual and accompanied by specialized training for health professionals, with particular attention to data protection.
According to the Ministry, maternal mortality dropped from 112 to 72.6 deaths per 100,000 live births between 2010 and 2018, while neonatal mortality decreased from 21.7 to 13.6 deaths per 1,000 live births during the same period.
Despite this progress, reducing preventable maternal and neonatal deaths remains a national priority. The Ministry highlights that further coordination, mobilization, and improvements in care quality throughout pregnancy, childbirth, and the postnatal period are still urgently needed.
