The NCRNS is a reference center that the Hassan II Foundation for the Prevention and Cure of the Nervous System Diseases plans to create with the Ministry of Health. Its creation responds to an urgent need in rehabilitation and advanced techniques in view of managing patients affected by nervous system diseases and upgrading the research in neurosciences.
Objectives of the NCRNS
- Making available to patients and health care staff diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation tools necessary for an early management of the nervous system diseases. Priority will be given to advanced techniques not obtainable in Morocco.
- Setting up a research program in neurosciences with priority to control of epidemiology of the nervous system diseases in Morocco in view of ensuring a better prevention.
Note that a preliminary study of a sample of 3000 medical files of handicapped patients in Morocco showed that almost 80% of these handicaps are due to nervous system diseases. Therefore prevention and early diagnosis remain essential in reducing the rate and seriousness of handicaps in the country.
- Giving the opportunity to young physicians to improve in those techniques and ensuring their presence throughout the country.
Why an NCRNS ?
2 main reasons make that center necessary:
- Following the guidelines of His Majesty King Mohamed VI, May God Assist Him, addressed to the participants of the international symposium on the theme "Prevention and Cure to Reduce Handicaps in the Future" that was organized in Rabat on October 28, 2000, and following the recommendations of experts attending that symposium, Hassan II Foundation studied with the ministry of Health and the ministry responsible for the handicapped the setting up of a national plan for sensitization, prevention and early diagnosis to limit handicaps with special priority for children. Among these priorities, there is the setting up of reference centers equipped with modern diagnosis and early treatment tools of the handicapping nervous system diseases.
- Morocco currently counts quite a large number of physicians specialized in the nervous system diseases some of whom are known worldwide. The evidences are: the scientific publications in international journals, Morocco's selection by the World Federation of Neurosurgery to host the World congress of neurosurgery in 2005, and Morocco's participation in the committee of experts of the World Health Organization (WHO) representing the African continent. Thus numerous international bodies are willing to help Morocco become a platform for the development of neurosurgery in Africa and for the training of African neurosurgeons. All these bodies, WHO included, hope to see in Morocco a modern reference center standing out with its training and quality of health care. Situation that would reflect on African countries.
Composition and Activities :
The center will be composed of the following units:
- reception, administration and consultation ward.
- 40 bed admission unit for medico-surgical care.
- an operating unit with 2 operating rooms and 2 intensive care rooms.
- rehabilitation and physiotherapy ward with re-education unit, an ergotherapy unit, hydrotherapy room and a workshop unit to make equipment for handicapped patients.
- neuroradiological unit for the practice of interventional neuroradiology.
- radiosurgery unit.
- neurophysiology unit equipped for exploring cerebral metabolism and preparing patients to the surgery of epilepsy.
- laboratory for biology and neuropathology.
- an amphitheatre holding 80 seats, a cafeteria and a library.
- General services.
Specialized physicians and professors would work in these units according to criteria defined in an agreement with the University Hospital center of Rabat-Salé. As far as health care is concerned, priority will be given to techniques not yet developed in Morocco: techniques of neuronavigation in micro-neurosurgery, radiosurgery, functional neurosurgery and interventional neuroradiology.
In the laboratory, new techniques will be introduced: molecular biology, measurement of cerebral metabolism, immunocytology and even electronic microscopy. In research, priority is for epidemiological surveys on diseases of the nervous system and on measures of prevention.
Management and functioning
The center will be run by Hassan II Foundation for the Prevention and Cure of the System Nervous Diseases, foundation of public utility, according to a private management and a non lucrative aim. The cost of consultations will be calculated with consideration to the functioning cost, the amortization of the equipment and the number of needy patients treated free of charge.
The center will be linked by Internet, and visioconference to other reference centers in Europe and specialized departments in provincial hospitals in Morocco to ease the interchange among specialists and avoid excessive transfer of patients in Morocco as well as abroad.
Approximative Cost:
- Cost of the construction: 23 042 250 dirhams (2,5 million USD).
- Cost of the equipment: 95.000.000 dirhams (9,5 million USD).