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PRESENTATIONHealth in Today's Morocco: Towards Health Sovereignty, a Humanistic and Sustainable Digital Revolution in the Health Sciences "Innovate, Care, Protect: Rethinking Health in the Era of Global Convergences" "In matters of health, Morocco is no longer content to follow: it is paving the way, charting new paths, and inspiring new trajectories." – Address by His Majesty King Mohammed VI on the Occasion of the Launch of the Project to Universalize Social Protection – April 14, 2021. At a time when pandemics, climate disruption, and geopolitical tensions are destabilizing global equilibrium, one reality stands clear: health is no longer merely a matter of care; it has become a civilizational issue. Like a seismograph of human vulnerability, the COVID-19 crisis exposed systemic fractures, but it also stimulated imaginations, triggered reinventions, and placed the issue of health sovereignty at the heart of national strategies. In this global reconfiguration, Morocco is making its distinct voice heard. Guided by the enlightened vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, the Kingdom has embarked on an ambitious overhaul of its health system, enshrined in Framework Law No. 06-22, promulgated by Dahir (Royal Decree) No. 1-22-77 of 14 Jumada I 1444 (corresponding to 9 December 2022). This law redefines the foundations of Moroccan public health through the lenses of innovation, equity, and resilience. The advent of the health crisis highlighted the necessity for profound reforms of health systems worldwide and rapid adaptation to new challenges. In this context, the Kingdom of Morocco, guided by the visionary High Directives of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, has undertaken a major transformation of its health system. This reform has materialized with the adoption of Framework Law No. 06-22 on the National Health System, promulgated by Dahir No. 1-22-77. This ambitious law represents far more than a simple reform: it constitutes a complete refoundation of Morocco's approach to public health, placing innovation at the heart of its strategy. Morocco is not renovating solely for itself. It aspires to become an African hub for digital health, anchoring its actions in dynamic South-South cooperation, based on expertise sharing, local drug production, health cybersecurity, and digital infrastructure adapted to the continent's realities. Through this strategy, health becomes a lever for sovereignty, sustainable development, stability, and geopolitical influence. Digitalization is emerging as a key lever to modernize its health system, through the deployment of telemedicine, electronic medical records, and artificial intelligence, while reforming governance for better coordination among stakeholders. The training of professionals now integrates new technologies, while digital solutions and resource optimization aim to reduce inequalities in access to care, particularly in rural areas. On the international front, a dynamic of African leadership is strengthening through e-health cooperation and local drug production, demonstrating that an approach combining innovation, equity, and resilience can durably transform a health system. Key indicators bear witness to this: This 1st International Congress on Health Sciences and Technologies is part of this transformative momentum. It is not merely an academic event: it is a space for collective engagement, a forum for cross-pollination of ideas, a factory for futures. We call upon all stakeholders – healthcare professionals, researchers, students, policymakers, innovators, citizens – to collectively envision tomorrow's health, a health that reflects and unites us, at the intersection of technology, ethics, humanity, and science. This inspiring transformation naturally calls for the sharing of experiences and the pooling of knowledge on an international scale. It is in this spirit that the ISTAS26 will soon be held. Organized by the Moroccan Association of Health Sciences and Technologies – in collaboration with Hassan 1st University, the Higher Institute of Health Sciences in Settat, and the Health Sciences and Technologies Laboratory – it will provide a privileged framework for discussing these decisive advancements. This essential gathering will bring together the perspectives of Moroccan experts with those of international researchers and practitioners, creating a fertile dynamic around innovations in digital health, health governance, and medical training. ISTAS26 will foster dialogue between neuroscience and artificial intelligence, medical physics and mental health, ethics and bioengineering. The humanities and social sciences will have their full place: community psychology, health anthropology, design thinking, and citizen co-construction will be at the heart of discussions, for there is no progress without listening to needs and lived experiences. ISTAS26 will be a particular opportunity to explore how interdisciplinary approaches – combining cutting-edge technology, cognitive sciences, innovative pedagogy, and integrative medicine – are transforming the healthcare landscape. Dedicated sessions will notably address advancements in medical simulation, applied psychology in care, therapeutic meditation, and medical physics, all domains where Morocco is developing recognized expertise. This congress promises to be a unique opportunity to capitalize on the Moroccan experience while enriching it with international best practices. It will foster concrete synergies to accelerate therapeutic innovation, refine telemedicine tools, and strengthen health systems against future challenges. By bringing together all stakeholders – from policymakers to frontline caregivers, researchers to industrial players – this meeting will contribute to collectively building a renewed vision of health, more inclusive and resilient, mirroring the successful transformation underway in Morocco under the leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI. In line with the interdisciplinary synergies driving change, the congress will be structured around the following topics: Axis 1: Public Health, Environment, and the One Health Approach ISTAS26 embodies a historic turning point, where health ceases to be just another sector and becomes the beating heart of our societal project. Together, we can build fairer, safer, and smarter health systems. For building tomorrow's health is more than a technological challenge; it is a civilizational choice. References 1. Address by His Majesty King Mohammed VI on the Occasion of the Launch of the Project to Universalize Social Protection – April 14, 2021.
2. Framework Law No. 06-22 on the National Health System, Dahir No. 1-22-77 of 14 Jumada I 1444 (December 9, 2022).
3. Ministry of Health and Social Protection, Annual Report 2024.
4. HCP & AMIPS, Key Indicators of Digital Transformation in Health, 2023.
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