CHU Ibn Rochd

Opened in 1983, the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Ibn Rochd (CHU Ibn Rochd) has evolved into the beating heart of Morocco’s public health system. Situated at 1, Rue des Hôpitaux in central Casablanca, the 1,685-bed complex is not only the nation’s largest hospital by capacity but also a hub for teaching, research and innovation. Its public mandate, coupled with an academic affiliation to the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Casablanca, positions the institution at the crossroads of patient care and medical education.

CHU Ibn Rochd is organised into four core facilities:

• Hôpital Ibn Rochd – the main 1,020-bed structure offering general medicine, surgery and critical care.
• Hôpital du 20 Août 1953 – a 291-bed centre focused on specialised surgery and complex medical cases.
• Hôpital Mère-Enfant Abderrahim Harouchi – a 374-bed hospital dedicated to women’s and children’s health, from neonatal intensive care to adolescent medicine.
• Centre de Consultations et de Traitements Dentaires (CCTD) – a purpose-built dental clinic equipped with 106 chairs for comprehensive oral health services.

The campus recently celebrated a milestone with the inauguration of a state-of-the-art emergency department in September 2024. Designed to treat an average of 300 patients daily—roughly one arrival every five minutes—the new wing integrates advanced diagnostic tools such as MRI, CT scanners and point-of-care blood analysers capable of delivering results in under ten minutes. Twenty-three specialised treatment bays, three fully equipped operating theatres and an on-site simulation unit ensure that even the most complex emergencies are managed promptly and effectively.

Patient flow is orchestrated under a stringent triage protocol pioneered by Professor Mohamed Mouhaoui, Head of the Emergency Department. Individuals arrive either via the SAMU or through regional referral networks, then proceed to an assessment area staffed by multidisciplinary teams. To maintain a calm environment, access is limited to the patient plus one companion, a policy that dramatically reduces overcrowding and allows clinicians to focus on high-acuity interventions such as thrombolysis for stroke victims within the critical 4.5-hour window.

Beyond emergency medicine, CHU Ibn Rochd delivers a comprehensive portfolio of specialties. Cardiovascular surgeons perform open-heart and thoracic procedures, neurosurgeons tackle spinal and cranial pathologies, and oncologists collaborate with haematologists on integrated cancer care pathways. The paediatric wing provides everything from routine immunisations to complex neonatal surgery, while the dental centre offers restorative and maxillofacial treatments. Supporting these clinical services is a robust infrastructure of radiology, laboratory medicine and rehabilitation units, all linked through an electronic health record system that enables seamless information sharing across the campus.

Education and research are woven into the fabric of the institution. More than 1,500 medical students, residents and fellows rotate through CHU Ibn Rochd each year, benefiting from hands-on training in the hospital’s simulation centre—an unprecedented resource within Morocco’s public sector. Ongoing research projects range from epidemiological studies on communicable diseases to clinical trials of novel surgical techniques, many of which are published in international peer-reviewed journals.

Leadership is provided by Director Professor Mohamed Benghanem Gharbi, whose strategic vision emphasises patient safety, technological innovation and equitable access to care. Under his stewardship, the hospital has introduced continuous quality-improvement programmes, multidisciplinary mortality reviews and community-outreach clinics that extend specialist expertise into underserved neighbourhoods.

With round-the-clock operations, multilingual staff and a mission grounded in public service, CHU Ibn Rochd represents a cornerstone of healthcare in Morocco. Its recent expansion projects not only enhance capacity but also reaffirm the hospital’s role as a national reference centre capable of meeting the evolving health needs of a rapidly growing urban population. Whether you require emergency intervention, paediatric follow-up or cutting-edge neurosurgery, CHU Ibn Rochd stands ready to deliver compassionate, evidence-based care informed by four decades of clinical excellence.