From October 11 to 18, 2019, I will participate in a newborn care project with Latter-day Saint Charities in Rabat, Morocco. I have been a volunteer physician with Latter-day Saint Charities for 14 years. I am very grateful for the opportunity to serve with wonderful health care professionals around the world. I have served in 8 countries on 5 continents participating in 13 projects. This will be my first opportunity to serve in Morocco.
Yesterday, Sunday, October 6, 2019, Russell M. Nelson, M.D., President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints spoke of the humanitarian initiatives of the Church including the Maternal Newborn Care projects.
“Regardless of where we call home, members of the Church feel passionately about the Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man. Thus, our greatest joy comes as we help our brothers and sisters, no matter where we live in this wonderful world,” President Nelson said. “Latter-day Saints, as with other followers of Jesus Christ, are always looking for ways to help, to lift, and to love others.”
The Church has distributed to those in need throughout the world more than two billion dollars in aid in the past 35 years.
Morocco is about the size of California and has a population of over 34 million people. The infant mortality rate is estimated to be 21 per 1000 births whereas in the USA it is 5.8 per 1000 births.
A 2019 Culture Grams article states, "Morocco lacks a comprehensive national healthcare system, but the Ministry of Health is working to provide services to every region and extend coverage to more Moroccans. The government allocates about 6 percent of its annual budget to health care. Each province has at least one hospital and some clinics, but many healthcare facilities lack qualified medical staff, sufficient medical supplies, and functional equipment."
The purpose of our project next week is to assist the Ministry of Health in placing the Helping Babies Breathe curriculum into the University system.
