Her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Asmaa, President of the Lalla Asmaa Foundation, visited the National Center of Rehabilitation and Neurosciences (Centre National de Réhabilitation et de Neurosciences - CNRNS) in Rabat on Thursday, October 15, 2026, to meet young patients from Morocco and children from Panama who recently received cochlear implants.
Over 1,100 Moroccans have now benefited from these implants free of charge, thanks to the Foundation.
Stemming from the drive of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist Him, who has made the inclusion of people with disabilities and universal access to healthcare a steadfast commitment of the Kingdom, the program NASMAA owes its growth to the ongoing involvement of Her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Asmaa, the Foundation said in a statement.
Her Royal Highness visited the bedsides of 10 of these children, 5 from Morocco and 5 from Panama, who underwent surgery in recent days, accompanied by their families, the same source added.
A Team of 8 Moroccan Surgeons
Fully covered by the Foundation, from the implant to rehabilitation, the surgeries were performed under the medical direction of Prof. Abdelaziz Raji, head of the ENT department at the Mohammed VI University Hospital Center (CHU) of Marrakech, alongside Brigadier General Dr. Fouad Benariba, Prof. Leïla Essakalli, head of the ENT department at the Ibn Sina CHU of Rabat, and Profs. Abdellatif Oudidi, Azeddine Lachkar, Amal Hajjij, Noureddine Errami, and Mohammed Mahtar, the Foundation specified.
The implant directly stimulates the auditory nerve, after which long-term speech therapy trains the brain to recognize sounds.
Moroccan Expertise Crosses the Atlantic
The children from Panama are following the exact same protocol as their roommates: assessment, surgery, implant activation, and rehabilitation, the statement noted, highlighting that Panama has become the 22nd country to join the NASMAA program, and the 2nd in Latin America after El Salvador.
Moroccan expertise is based on a model developed step by step in Morocco, extending to the inclusive schools in Rabat, Tangier, and Meknes. Thanks to the humanistic and solidarity-based vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God preserve Him, this unique model has made it possible to share the Kingdom’s expertise and experience with sister nations in various regions of the world.
In Africa, only 10% of the 33 million people in need have access to a hearing aid. Yet, every dollar invested in hearing care yields a return of $16, according to the WHO. To address this challenge, Morocco, through the Foundation, has established a complete care network, ranging from neonatal screening launched by Her Royal Highness in 2023 to long-term patient follow-up.
Upon her arrival, Her Royal Highness was greeted by Isbeth Quiel Murcia, Ambassador of Panama to the Kingdom of Morocco, Mohamed Yacoubi, Wali of the Rabat-Salé-Kenitra region, Governor of the Rabat prefecture, Rachid El Abdi, President of the Rabat-Salé-Kenitra Regional Council, Fatiha El Moudni, President of Rabat’s Communal Council, Abdelilah El Idrissi El Bouzidi, President of the Agdal-Riad District, Karim Essakalli, Deputy President of the Lalla Asmaa Foundation, Mohamed Methqal, Ambassador-Director General of AMCI, Prof. Ibrahim Lekehal, Director General of the Territorial Health Group (GST) of Rabat-Salé-Kenitra, Dr. Omar El Menzhi, CNRNS Director, and Prof. Malik Boulaadas, Director of the Specialty Hospital, the statement concluded.
MAP: 15 October 2026
