His Majesty King Mohammed VI inaugurated, Wednesday, the Psychosocial Rehabilitation Center of Casablanca’s Ibn Rochd University Hospital, which reflects the special interest His Majesty the King takes in the development of the health sector, in general, and of mental health, in particular.
His Majesty the King visited, on this occasion, several facilities of this center, whose mission is to care for patients with mental disabilities caused by serious and chronic mental illnesses, in order to minimize the consequences of their disability and promote their social and professional rehabilitation.
Carried out by Mohammed V Foundation for Solidarity for an investment of approximately MAD 10.5 million, this project is is part of an action plan led by the Foundation, aimed at supporting the national healthcare sector by strengthening the existing medical services, improving access to care for the most vulnerable populations, and integrating a complementary social approach in support mechanisms for patients.
This 2,100 square meter building is adjacent to Ibn Rochd University Psychiatric Center and includes two poles: a therapeutic pole with rooms for occupational therapy, psychology, psychiatry, and functional evaluations, and a socio-educational pole with a multipurpose room and workshops for cooking therapy, plastic arts, pottery, hairdressing-aesthetics, and computing.
These thematic workshops are designed to aid patients in a variety of ways, including assisting them in becoming more emotionally aware, enhancing their concentration, igniting their creativity and imagination, regaining their confidence, taking part in social and professional integration, identifying potential previously unidentified barriers, and engaging them in a communicative group environment.
The new center, which houses an administrative center, training rooms, physical and artistic expression rooms, sports facilities, a library, a cafeteria, a laundry room, reception and relaxation areas, will allow the patients treated, estimated at over 1,300 per year, to overcome the isolation caused by their mental illness, as well as to develop their relational abilities, acquire some professional skills and improve their sense of well-being.
In order to fully carry out its mission, this Psychosocial Rehabilitation Center is staffed with 5 medical specialists, namely 3 psychiatrists and 2 neuro-psychologists, 7 mental health nurses, as well as support staff including 7 trainers in hairdressing, computer science, cooking, sports, theater, pottery, and art therapy.
The Psychosocial Rehabilitation Center, which is the fruit of a partnership between the Mohammed 5 Foundation for Solidarity and Ibn Rochd University Hospital in Casablanca, is managed by the Hospital’s Psychiatry Department in collaboration with “The League for Mental Health”, an association specialized in mental health.
This project is added to several medical and social initiatives undertaken by the Foundation, with the aim of reinforcing the mapping of health care in the region, namely by establishing local medical centers in Sidi Moumen and Errahma, and local medical centers in Sidi Othmane (level II health center), and Moulay Rachid (medical-psychosocial center).
