Her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Asmaa, President of the Lalla Asmaa Foundation for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, presided over the launch ceremony of the third edition of the program “United, We Hear Better” on Thursday at the Specialty Hospital of the Ibn Sina University Hospital Center (CHU) in Rabat.
This operation aims to restore hearing to 100 children from 17 nations in Africa and the Middle East (Palestine, Syria, Lebanon) and aligns with the humanistic and solidarity vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist Him, for strong and effective South-South cooperation.
Implemented in four cities, namely Rabat, Casablanca, Marrakech, and Fes, this operation involves the implantation of cochlear implants in the beneficiary deaf children, allowing these young individuals to discover the sound world, communicate, learn, and thrive.
In parallel with the surgical interventions, 17 ENT specialists and 17 speech therapists from each of the participating countries will receive high-level training at the Faculty of Medicine in Rabat and in partner hospitals, ensuring effective medical support in their home countries.
A world first, this initiative aims to sustainably improve the quality of life of hard of hearing and deaf children and to establish a high-level medical network dedicated to audiology and auditory rehabilitation in Africa and the Middle East.
Moreover, for the first time in Morocco, a dissection of a real human temporal bone is being performed as part of this operation, marking a significant scientific advancement for specialists in audiology and otology.
On this occasion, Princess Lalla Asmaa visited the children benefiting from the “United, We Hear Better” program, in the presence of ambassadors from their respective countries.
Subsequently, Her Royal Highness presided over the signing ceremony of three partnership agreements. The first, which seals a close cooperation between the Lalla Asmaa Foundation and the Ministry of Health and Social Protection aimed at strengthening the infrastructure of diagnostic and auditory rehabilitation centers, was signed by Mr. Karim Essakalli, Deputy President of the Lalla Asmaa Foundation, and Mr. Amine Tahraoui, Minister of Health and Social Protection.
The second agreement, concluded between the Lalla Asmaa Foundation and the Ministry Delegate in charge of the Budget, guarantees financial support for the expansion of the program. It was signed by Mr. Karim Essakalli and Mr. Faouzi Lekjaa, Minister Delegate to the Minister of Economy and Finance, in charge of the Budget.
The third agreement, made between the Lalla Asmaa Foundation and the Moroccan Diplomatic Foundation, aims to facilitate cooperation with partner countries. It was signed by Mr. Karim Essakalli and Mr. Abdelati Habek, President of the Diplomatic Foundation.
Upon her arrival at the Specialty Hospital, Her Royal Highness reviewed a section of the Auxiliary Forces that was rendering honors, before being greeted by the Minister of National Education, Preschool, and Sports, Mr. Mohamed Saad Berrada, the Minister of Health and Social Protection, Mr. Amine Tahraoui, the Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research, and Innovation, Mr. Azzedine El Midaoui, the Minister of Youth, Culture, and Communication, Mr. Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, the Minister of Solidarity, Social Inclusion, and Family, Mrs. Naima Ben Yahia, and the Minister Delegate to the Minister of Economy and Finance, in charge of the Budget, Mr. Faouzi Lekjaa, whose departments are partners of the Foundation.
Princess Lalla Asmaa was also greeted by the Wali of the Rabat-Salé-Kénitra region, Governor of the Prefecture of Rabat, Mr. Mohamed Yacoubi, the Vice-President of the Regional Council, Mr. Aziz Hilali, the President of the Rabat Municipal Council, Mrs. Fatiha El Moudni, the President of the Prefectural Council of Rabat, Mr. Abdelaziz Driouich, and the President of the Agdal-Riad District Council, Mr. Abdelilah El Idrissi El Bouzidi.
Her Royal Highness was also welcomed by Professor Raouf Mouhsine, Director General of the CHU Ibn Sina of Rabat, Professor Yassir Arkha, Director of the Specialty Hospital of Rabat, Professor Abdeslam El Khamlichi, President of the Hassan II Foundation for the Prevention and Fight Against Nervous System Diseases, and Mr. Karim Essakalli, Deputy President of the Lalla Asmaa Foundation.