His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist him, chaired, Monday, November 9, 2020, at the Royal Palace in Rabat, a working session dedicated to the vaccination strategy against Covid-19.
This meeting is part of the ongoing monitoring by His Majesty the King, may God preserve him, of the evolution of the pandemic and the measures taken to curb its spread and to safeguard life and health of citizens.
During this meeting, and on the basis of the opinion expressed by the ad hoc National Scientific Committee stressing that the vaccination campaign is a real response to end the acute phase of the pandemic, and faithful to the proactive royal approach adopted since the appearance of this virus, His Majesty the King gave His High Guidelines for the launch, in the coming weeks, of a massive vaccination operation against Covid-19.
This unprecedented nationwide operation aims to provide the population with a vaccine as an appropriate means of immunizing against the virus and controlling its spread.
According to the results of clinical studies already completed or still underway, the safety, efficiency and immunogenicity of the vaccine have been proven.
Thus, this operation should target citizens over 18 years of age, according to a two-injection vaccination schedule. Priority will be given in particular to front-line staff, in this case health workers, public authorities, security forces and national education workers, as well as the elderly and people vulnerable to the virus, before extending it to the rest of the population.
The Kingdom has been able to occupy an advanced rank in the procurement of Covid-19 vaccine, thanks to the Initiative and the personal Involvement of the Sovereign, which led to the successful participation of our country in the clinical trials.
His Majesty the King thus gave His instructions to the competent authorities to ensure the proper preparation and the smooth running of this large-scale national operation, at the health, logistical and technical levels. Particular emphasis was laid on the accessibility of the vaccine, within a social and supportive framework, and its availability in sufficient quantities, as well as on the medical logistics of transport, storage, and administration of the vaccine throughout the country and the establishment of an efficient system of pre-registration of beneficiaries.
To this end, the Sovereign has called for the mobilization of all the services and departments concerned, in particular health workers, territorial administration and security forces, as well as the necessary support from the Royal Armed Forces, in accordance with the missions entrusted to them by His Majesty the King, Supreme Commander and Chief of General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces, as part of the fight against Covid-19.
By undertaking this large-scale operation, with the faith and hope that God may surround all humanity with His Grace and lift this calamity through vaccination, the Royal High Guidelines have been given to the effect of redoubling vigilance in the management of the pandemic, and to maintain the scientific watch capacities for a regular update of the national strategy in this field in the light of new developments and factual realities.
This working session was attended by Head of Government Saad Dine El Otmani, Advisor of HM the King Fouad Ali El Himma, Minister of Interior Abdelouafi Laftit, Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Abroad, Nasser Bourita, Minister of Health Khalid Ait Taleb, Lieutenant General Abdelfattah El Ouarak, Inspector General of the FAR, Lieutenant General Mohamed Haramou, Commander of the Royal Gendarmerie, Brigadier General Mohammed Abbar, Inspector of the Military Health Service of the FAR, and Director General of National Police, Director General of National Territorial Surveillance Abdellatif Hammouchi.”