Rabat – Ophthalmologists in Morocco have issued a strong warning against the growing number of “illegal” cataract surgery campaigns organized by associations in collaboration with private doctors and clinics.
In a statement shared with Morocco World News (MWN), the eye doctors said they strongly denounced the “proliferation of supposedly humanitarian cataract surgery campaigns” in collaboration with doctors and private clinics.
“These practices, which violate ethical and medical standards, jeopardize the visual health of Moroccan patients and pose a serious threat to the sustainability of the Compulsory Health Insurance Fund (AMO),” the association asserted.
The statement clarified that the campaigns rely on mass recruitments of patents by recruiters operating outside any medical framework.
“Patients are identified in public places such as cafes, homes, or via social media by unqualified individuals,” the statement said, claiming that sensitive information like ID cards and AMO membership numbers are collected for these campaigns without respecting confidentiality rules.
The statement said similar practices among patients led to serious complications, including total loss of vision among some patients as well as severe infectors and other irreversible consequences due to the lack of thorough preoperative exams and proper postoperative care.
“Moroccan ophthalmologists urge authorities to intervene urgently to end these illegal and unethical campaigns,” the statement said, demanding a thorough investigation to identify the responsible parties.
The association also called for exemplary sanctions against the clinics and doctors involved, in addition to tightening the control over the use of AMO funds.