MOROCCO

Morocco joined PIVI in 2014. The country received 123,310 doses of vaccine in the 2014-2015 season. Morocco prioritized the elderly, healthcare professionals, healthcare students, and those with chronic illnesses such as diabetes in their 2014 vaccination campaign.

Social media and communications strategies helped generate high uptake for the 2014 campaign. Nongovernmental organizations in Morocco formed a network and utilized pamphlets, posters, and national media outlets to spread awareness about the flu virus and prevention among diabetics. These efforts were effective: vaccine uptake was high among diabetics. More than 98% of the target population of elderly people living in institutions also received the vaccine, because vaccine was delivered to their places of residence. This campaign took place in collaboration with the CDC and the Direction de l’Epidémiologie et de la Lutte Contre les Maladies (DELM) within Morocco’s Ministry of Health. Morocco has had a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention vaccine policy cooperative agreement since fall of 2013. They successfully held and continue to hold continuing medical education seminars on influenza disease and vaccine for physicians throughout the country.