Interactive Cultural Activities in Virtual Study Abroad during the Pandemic and Beyond

Some of the simplest affordances of study abroad became unavailable when students stayed stateside because of the pandemic-induced disruptions to international travel. These ranged from touring city and historical/cultural landmarks, having spontaneous and chance interactions with locals, participating in the performance of traditions and practices, visiting homes, engaging in "domestic" activities with host families and local peers, and developing a sense of community with other fellow students. This paper reports on three alternate, virtual cultural activities that were launched during the pandemic between a U.S. university and its study abroad partner institution in Morocco in order to help compensate for the health disruption. Survey responses, cultural products, and reflections from 118 participants were collected for this study over two Arabic summer intensive programs at the stateside university. The study explores the effectiveness of these activities in promoting intercultural competence and student engagement during this period and speculates on how they can be integrated into the regular programming post-pandemic in order to further enhance immersion.

Variations in circadian rhythmicity and students' gender-related psychological conditions during the COVID-19 lockdown

In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic experienced around the world, new student lifestyles have had an impact on their daily behavior. The purpose of this study was to examine post-traumatic stress associated with the initial COVID-19 crisis in students (N = 280) with a mean age of 13 +/- 1.70 and to determine the relationship between their reported daily behaviors in terms of their gender. The study was conducted primarily in Casablanca and Marrakech, the two cities most affected by the pandemic at the time of the study in Morocco in May 2020. Our sample consists of 133 high school students and 147 middle school students, 83.6% of whom are females. Students were asked to answer questions based on an Activity Biorhythm Questionnaire, the Post-Traumatic Stress Scale (Weathers et al., 1993), the Hamilton Scale (Hamilton, 1960), the Worry Domains Questionnaire (Tallis, Eyzenck, Mathews, 1992), and the Visual Analog Scale of Moods (VASM) (Stern et al., 1997). The results obtained confirm that there is a significant relationship between the circadian rhythm of some variables and gender in some activities such as academic study (p < 0.05) and TV and Internet use (p < 0.05) and was highly significant for physical activity (p = 0.001), while others are not significant in relation to other schedules of the same variables or in relation to others. Likewise, for the psychological conditions, significant relationships with mood states and depressive tendencies were confirmed. In lockdown, the students' daily lives underwent changes in circadian rhythm and lifestyle. Therefore, it is necessary to treat their current psychological problems and avoid future complications. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Overview of the Healthcare Systems of the Maghreb Countries: Issues and Progress

Objectives: To provide an update overview on the current status of healthcare systems in the Maghreb region (Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia) and to emphasize the progress made in the midst of the challenges facing these countries. Method(s): A descriptive comparative approach of healthcare systems in the three countries, based on data from sources with an established methodology, including descriptive healthcare data from the WHO database. Result(s): The population of the Maghreb will increase from 102 million to 132 million by 2050. The current population is mostly centered in Algeria and Morocco, accounting for 77%. Annual healthcare expenditure per capita is 447.9$, 776.8$ and 854.6$ in Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria, respectively. The average infant mortality rate per 1000 live improved to 10.9 in Tunisia, 16.8 in Morocco and 18.9 in Algeria. Maternal mortality rates have dropped to 43 and 48.5/100 000 births in Tunisia and Algeria, respectively while remaining relatively high in Morocco: 72.6. Number of hospital beds/1000 inhabitants is only 1.1 in Morocco, 1.9 and 2.9 in Algeria and Tunisia, respectively. The number of physicians/1000 people was 0.73 in Morocco, 1.3 in Tunisia and 1.72 in Algeria. This remains considerably low compared to the 3.9/1000 in Europe. The Maghreb countries are currently facing an exodus of physicians, mainly to France, which represents 7.1% and 10.7% of Tunisians and Moroccans, respectively, and more than 24% for Algerians. The Maghreb countries were very early mobilized (governments, ministries of health, civil society) to fight against COVID-19 and have successfully controlled the pandemic, according to pre-established control strategies and the strongly commitment of health professional. Conclusion(s): Despite the considerable progress made, the Maghreb countries still face major challenges. Physicians migration, rising cost of care and endemic infectious disease outbreaks constitute a huge hurdle on the already overburdened and resilient healthcare systems.Copyright © 2023

Assessment of Burden of COVID-19 Infection and the Dynamics in African Union Member States

Objectives: This study assessed the real-world burden of COVID-19 infection in African Union (AU) member states during the first 12 months of the pandemic using selected epidemiological measures. Method(s): Data were sourced from the African CDC and Our World in Data,for time period spanning February 2020 to January 2021. AU member states were classified into low, medium and high burden based on COVID-19 morbidity. We conducted descriptive and inferential analyses of the following epidemiological measures: morbidity and mortality rates (MMRs), case fatality rate (CFR), and case ratios. Result(s): A total of 3.2 million COVID-19 cases were reported during the first 12 months, with 2.6 million recoveries, 536,784 cases remaining active, and 77, 486 deaths. Most countries in AU experienced low burden of COVID-19 (49.1%, n=26) compared to 28.3% (n=15) with medium and 22.6% (n=12) with high burden of the disease. South Africa recorded the highest number of cases (1.31 million) followed by Morocco with 457,625 and Tunisia with 175,065 cases. Correspondently, death tolls for these countries were 36,467, 7,888 and 5,528 deaths, respectively. Of the total COVID-19 tests performed (83.8 million) during the first 12 months, 62.43% were from high burden countries. The least testing occurred in the medium burden (18.42%) countries. The overall CFR of AU was 2.21%. Morbidity rate of 327.52/105 population and mortality rate of 5.96/105 population were recorded during the period with significant (p<0.0001) variations across burden levels and regions. Continental morbidity and mortality rates of 17,359/105 population and 315.933/105 population were recorded with significant correlation (r=0.863, p<0.0001) between them and variations across selected epidemiological measures by COVID-19 burden levels. Conclusion(s): Understanding the true burden of the disease in AU countries is important for establishing the impact of the pandemic in the African continent and for intervention planning and deployment of resources including vaccines.Copyright © 2023

Violence and resistance: Moroccan domestic workers after the closure of Spain's southern border

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, thousands of Moroccan women crossed the border between Melilla and Morocco on a daily basis to work in domestic employment, a consolidated niche sector of cross-border employment for low-skilled working-class women. When the border closed due to COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020, many decided to remain in Melilla. Following the precepts of grounded theory and using biographical interviews, the paper investigates the survival strategies these women deployed following the border closure. An ambivalent process began: on the one hand, their labour conditions worsened, exposing them to worse situations of violence;on the other, they developed strategies of resistance and agency, assuming the role of breadwinner for their families and opting for a process of emancipation through inclusion and training opportunities in the city of Melilla © 2023, Revista CIDOB d'Afers Internacionals.All Rights Reserved.

Middle East and North African Health Informatics Association (MENAHIA)

The region of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is diverse and retains a superior growth potential. It benefits from a privileged geographical location with big markets, a young and growing educated population, and competitive advantages in several industries. Regardless of their differences, countries face shared concerns, most notably in health. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, MENA countries enact reforms to create a more robust and inclusive digital health systems to increase growth, development, and integrity. Throughout the coordinated containment and mitigation efforts, most of the countries have integrated digital technologies into the health systems. These procedures include digital government initiatives, the introduction of digital health training courses, live video surgeries and virtual patient monitoring, rural and remote telemedicine programs, and the development of a national electronic health records (EHR) system. Each country took necessary actions to address equity, literacy, and development of resilient health systems. The nine featured countries in this report illustrate the diversity among the MENA region and account for major opportunities and achievements as well as promises and challenges that digital health presents for its populations. © 2022 IMIA and Georg Thieme Verlag KG.

Hospital resilience during Covid-19: A single mixed-methods case study in Morocco

Background: During the Covid-19 pandemic, in low- and middle-income countries, hospital resilience was critical to the success of the pandemic response. In North Africa and Middle East region, little attention was paid to hospital resilience strategies. Objective(s): To explore hospital organizational resilience strategies in a Moroccan hospital. Method(s): Single case study with mixed methods. Ten interviews were conducted with managers and frontline healthcare workers. The concept of hospital resilience was assessed using a questionnaire given to 50 managers and frontline health workers. Result(s): Hospital resilience strategies included developing crisis preparedness plans, hiring professionals, and organizing care quickly. The challenges were: shortage of medication and human resources, lack of personal protective equipment, insufficient bed capacity and emotional and psychological impact of overwork on frontline professionals. Level of Evidence: 5.Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Masson SAS

Mobility issues and multidimensional inequalities: exploring the limits of the National Strategy for Immigration and Asylum during the COVID-19 pandemic in Morocco

In December 2019, the severe respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 was discovered in China. The virus spread rapidly and, by March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 to be a global pandemic. Scientists expected the African continent to be among the worst affected by the sanitary emergency in terms of prevalence, incidence and mortality. This prediction was refuted by evidence, considering that Africa reported the least number of cases and deaths compared to Europe, Asia and America. The first case in Africa was registered in Egypt on February 14, 2020. By the end of 2021, the continent recorded a cumulative of 7,110,817 cases and 155,505 deaths. Nonetheless, estimates are likely to be distorted due to the lack of available data about the impact of COVID-19 and the limited documentary capacity of most African countries. There are several theories to explain why, contrary to the expected trend, Africa had the fewest COVID-19 incidences compared to other continents. Africa is characterized by a young population, which is notoriously less susceptible to COVID-19, with an average age of 19.7 years. In addition, most of the Africans (59%) live in rural areas, with few opportunities to travel or get in contact with outsiders. Moreover, governments enforced outstanding measures to contain the spread of the virus and safeguard the national economy, such as strengthening their documentary capacity and enforcing effective social safety nets. However, most of these policies have aggravated entrenched patterns of discrimination, making certain populations uniquely vulnerable. Indeed, mobility restrictions and border closures severely affected people with mobile livelihoods. In Morocco, the emergency measures compromised the resilience capacity of sub-Saharan migrants, particularly women and girls. To study the phenomenon of African migration to Morocco, we conducted fieldwork research from October to December 2021, interrupted by the closure of the kingdom's borders, and continued remotely thanks to key informants.

Oilseeds development in Morocco in the current international context

Oilseeds are grown mainly for the extraction of vegetable oils and for its by-products needed in livestock feed and in other industrial uses. The oils obtained from them are becoming a staple food used in daily cooking in several countries, and as a result the world demand is constantly increasing. This situation, combined with the exponential increase in the world population and other cyclical factors, is leading to a surge pricing, especially in importing countries. This increase in prices is fueled by soaring oil prices and disruption in supplies following Covid-19 pandemic and geopolitical tensions in the Black Sea. Morocco is directly impacted by these fluctuations given that the country imports almost its total needs in vegetable oils, oilseeds and meals. The high dependence on imported vegetable oils and oilseed products has a detrimental effect on the economy of Morocco and weighs heavily on the country's trade balance. Considering their increasingly important role in society, the development of a local oilseed sector to reduce Morocco's dependence on imports and cope with the vagaries of global markets has never been more topical in the current context of sustainable agriculture and food sovereignty.

IncreasedUse of Maps During theCOVID-19 Pandemic: An Example from Morocco

This chapter discusses the use and interpretation of graphs and maps concerning COVID-19 by ordinary people. Epidemiological data have experienced unprecedented communication in the official media as well as social networks. Media are using a vocabulary that includes such words and terms as "curve, " "flattening” and "inflection point” to describe the evolution of the pandemic. It can be assumed that there is an appropriation of this language about the impact that COVID-19 has had on people's daily lives. This impact concerns both the fear of infection and the expectation of the end of containment imposed by a majority of countries in the world. The maps presenting the epidemic on a global scale were used by people as a grid for reading, but above all for the extrapolation to the country of origin. Contrary to the wide availability of COVID-19 international maps, national and local maps in some countries such as Morocco have not had the same degree of usage. The use of non-graphical information at the local level has helped to balance this scale of knowledge about the spread and evolution of COVID-19. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022.

Medicines management of long-term conditions during the COVID19 pandemic: a narrative systematic review

Introduction: Due to lockdown measures associated with the COVID 19 pandemic (1), there were substantial changes to healthcare delivery, including the suspension of face-to-face medical appointments, expansion of telehealth and changes to medication protocols.(2) It is important to learn from the successes and challenges of this period to ensure we adapt and improve how we support people to take medicines in the future. Aim(s): We sought to conduct a systematic review to explore the different approaches used to deliver medicines management services for people living with long term conditions (LTCs) during the pandemic and identify strategies that could be integrated into standard care. Method(s): We conducted a systematic review across 3 large databases: MEDLINE (OVID), EMBASE (OVID) and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL). Our research question and search strategy was developed using the PICO framework (Population: adults with LTCs, Intervention: medicines management during the COVID 19 pandemic;no comparison group. Outcome(s): any aspect relating to medicines management. Search terms relating to 'long term conditions', 'medication management' and 'COVID-19' were used. One reviewer (LM) screened all titles, s, and full texts. We included studies discussing medication management of LTCs, in patients of all ages and healthcare settings, throughout the pandemic. Primary literature sources, feasibility studies and case studies, were included. We excluded studies solely focusing on disease monitoring, or the treatment of COVID/ 'long Covid'. One reviewer performed a thematic analysis, synthesising the findings into themes and sub-themes, which were discussed with a further reviewer (CT). A critical appraisal was performed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme checklists. Result(s): The search returned 2365 results. After deduplication, articles were removed at the title (n=1070) (n=813) and full text (n=232) stages. 31 studies were included. Studies were conducted in India (n=6), US (n=5), international (n=4), France (n=2), Italy (n=2), and one each from China, Japan, Jordan, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Spain, UK, UK and US, and location not specified. Most studies (n=17) employed subjective methods of data collection (surveys/ questionnaires). We identified 6 themes. These were: changes in consultation type, for instance using teleconsultations and smartphone apps to monitor glucose control and diabetic management. Studies described temporary changes to treatment protocols e.g., using oral chemotherapy to reduce the need for in-person appointments and reduce the infection risk associated with intravenous administration. Control of certain conditions for example epilepsy was reduced in some studies. Patients missed doses due to drug shortages associated with disruptions in the medication supply chain, particularly in low-income countries. Finally, we identified prescribing trend changes in certain classes of medicines (e.g. reduced biologic usage due to immunosuppression risk) and an increase in patients self-medicating conditions including anxiety and depression, with associated safety risks. Conclusion(s): This review suggested that certain medical conditions such as diabetes and hypertension were more suited to remote monitoring with technological interventions such as smartphone apps. While other conditions e.g., cancer and epilepsy, demonstrated a greater need for in-person care. Countries of lower socioeconomic status were disproportionately affected by the pandemic.

Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Monetary Child Poverty in Morocco

The Covid-19 pandemic had a very quick and damaging impact on several economies around the world, including in Morocco. This economy was hit hard with some sectors strongly exposed to the impact on the households and their children. In this article, we built a micro-simulation model and use it jointly with an input-output model to assess the distributional impact of COVID-19 and mitigation measures targeting households in Morocco with a focus on children living in poor households. Our original results show that the crisis has led to a fairly significant increase in poverty, with more pronounced effects in the urban area. Children under 5 years of age and young adults (over 18 years of age) are the most affected. Just over half a million children under the age of 18 would fall into poverty as a result of the pandemic. The mitigation measures put in place by the government and additional measures we designed and simulated further reduce the negative impact of the pandemic. In addition, the number of vulnerable rural population has decreased in both rural and urban areas. However, the two scenarios focusing on mitigation of the effects of the pandemic do not fully compensate for the negative effects of the pandemic in the urban area as opposed to rural areas. When we focus our analysis by age category, the incidence rates of vulnerability decrease to their initial rates for children under 5 years of age and decrease very slightly for youth aged 5 to 17 years at the national level. However, we find that this vulnerability is deeper and more severe even after the implementation of compensatory measures © 2022, Abdelkhalek et al

Impacts of COVID-19 lockdowns on water quality along the coast of Morocco

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most of the marine activities and all the anthropogenic activities along the coast have been shut off for several months. The total suspended matter (TSM) was analyzed before and during COVID-19 lockdown in the coast of Morocco. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess all the changes reflected through the coast in April of 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021. In the absence of the ground observations during this period, the remote sensing data was used in this study. The results showed a gradual reduction in TSM concentration, indicating a positive improvement during the lockdown period. The TSM concentrations during this period decreased by 40.59% on average compared with the pre-lock-down period. Further, the turbidity in the water has reduced at each stretch of the rivers. Remote sensing is a powerful tools for analyzing turbidity over the whole littoral areas, even in the absence of field observations. The ongoing pandemic shows that an ocean with cleaner water is possible. These findings provide a general reference on the state of the Moroccan coast that could contribute to improve policy and future monitoring program.

Screen Addiction among nursing students during confinement in Morocco

Aim: The objective of this study is to evaluate the psychological experience during confinement by psychological scales of student nurses and health technicians. Material and Methods: To explore this topic, we used an anonymous questionnaire based on, in addition to status and individual conditions, scales assessing depression (Beck) and internet addiction (IAT). Results: We were able to collect after a rigorous sorting 98 answers, of which 87.8% are women with an average age of 20 years. Beck, 18.36% according to the IAT scale are problematic Internet users with possible life consequences. The function of the mother, the place of residence and the domain of internet use such as social networks, TV and electronic entertainment are the variables that show a statistically significant difference with a P <0.05, and the use of social networks is a risk factor for problematic internet use (OR=2.21e+10, and p <0.001). Discussion: The exploration of depression and the problematic use of the Internet has concluded that there is an undeniable impact of confinement on young students.

Student and faculty member perspectives on public health education at the Marrakech Medical School

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the pivotal role of public health. The aim of this study was to explore the perception of public health among medical students and faculty members (teachers). Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the medical school of Marrakech (FMPM) in May 2020. Data collection regarding the place of public health (during the training and in the practice) was done by electronic questionnaire. The analysis was descriptive and bivariate. Results: 259 responses were received (78.4% were students). The female / male sex ratio = 1.27. Almost 98.5% believed that public health knowledge and experiences were relevant for clinical practice. The main activities that reflect public health were prevention and health promotion (81%), epidemiological surveillance and epidemic management (89.6%) (98.2% among teachers versus 87.2% among students, p = 0.009). During the pandemic, 85.7% of teachers and 77% of students developed an interest in public health (p = 0.196). Only 6.6% were interested in a career in public health. Compared to teachers, students had a positive perception during the pandemic (p = 0.001). Conclusion: The results highlight the lack of knowledge about the fields of application despite heightened sensitivity at the onset of the pandemic. Lessons can be learned in terms of improving public health training, raising awareness of the choice of this specialty and actions in favor of better visibility.

The sustainability of the fruit and vegetable supply chain tested by Covid-19 : Case of Meknes city, Morocco

This article aims to assess the sustainability of the Fruit and Vegetable Supply Chain (SCF &V ) of the city of Meknes in Morocco in the context of the Covid-19 health crisis. During this crisis, new and more sustainable food supply practices emerged (mutualized and proximity supply, reduction of food waste...) and thus made the CAF & L evolve towards a sustainability process. Our method was based on the calculation of the performance of 12 indicators composing 5 dimensions of sustainability (the territorial, economic, social, ecological and food security dimensions). The survey of 120 stakeholders revealed that sustainability improved by 30.73 points during the period of strict containment. On the other hand, the study showed that some areas are still vulnerable, such as the lack of social security coverage for employees and the weak coordination of stakeholders in CAF & L.

The reform of social protection in Morocco following the coronavirus pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has affirmed the importance of social protection. To combat the effects of the pandemic, countries have taken exceptional measures to preserve health and have introduced or adapted measures to provide income support to people who have lost their sources of income. The pandemic has also highlighted the weaknesses of the social protection system in Morocco, introduced in 1940, which is composed of a contributory system whose financing depends on social security contributions and regulations, and a subsidiary system which takes into covers people who do not have access to contributory basic social insurance. The kick-off for the implementation of the social protection reform in Morocco was given in April 2021 and should be spread over five years. The objective of this reform is to reorganize and improve the operation of the various social protection instruments with a view to greater effectiveness and increased efficiency and also to create new components likely to extend coverage. This large-scale reform initiated by Morocco requires an annual envelope estimated at 51 billion dirhams, which constitutes a major challenge for the country's public finances, which have been hit by the COVID-19 crisis.

General fisheries commission for the Mediterranean. Report of the twelfth session of the scientific advisory committee on aquaculture, Casablanca, Morocco, 7-9 June 2022

The Scientific Advisory Committee on Aquaculture (CAQ) of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) held its twelfth session in hybrid mode, in Casablanca, Morocco and online from 7-9 June 2022. The session was attended by delegates from 18 contracting parties, three cooperating non-contracting parties, one observer, as well as representatives of the FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Division, the GFCM Secretariat and invited experts. During the session, the Committee reviewed the work carried out during the 2019-2022 intersession, including within the framework of the GFCM 2030 Strategy for sustainable fisheries and aquaculture in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea (GFCM 2030 Strategy) and in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, and provided advice on priorities in the field of aquaculture management and research.

Teleconsultation use and satisfaction among cancerologists during the COVID-19 pandemic in Morocco.

Introduction: health care benefits have undergone major changes during the COVID-19 pandemic. This has led to an explosive growth in teleconsultation services mainly for cancer patients. The purpose of this study was to assess the perception and experience of Moroccan oncologists with the use of teleconsultation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: a 17-question anonymous cross-sectional survey was conducted on Google forms and emailed to all Moroccan oncologists. Statistical analysis was performed using the statistical software Jamovi (version 2.2). Results: out of a total of 500 oncologists who received the questionnaire, 126 responded, with a response rate of 25%. During the pandemic, only 59.5% of oncologists used teleconsultation, with no significant differences among the three groups (radiation oncologists, medical oncologists and cancer surgeons (p=0.294)). Most participants were satisfied with being able to explain medical diagnosis, provide assessment results, and provide treatment recommendations during teleconsultation. Finally, 47.2% of participants were willing to continue conducting teleconsultations after the COVID-19 pandemic, with no significant differences among the three groups. Conclusion: oncology physicians were satisfied with their experiences with teleconsultation and agreed that it is likely to be part of their long-term practice. Future studies are needed to assess patient satisfaction with teleconsultation and to improve patient care through this virtual technology.

E-Learning Acceptance in the Post COVID-19 Period: A Case Study

The experience lived by students during the COVID-19 pandemic will remain etched in their memory because they suddenly found themselves confined and they were forced to continue their studies entirely online from home. This article focuses on the study of factors that may influence students of the National School of Business and Management of Oujda in Morocco to continue using e-learning in the post COVID19 period. The research model is based on the Technology Acceptance Model and is validated using structural equation methods. Data analysis showed the importance of the online course design factor on perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness. It revealed the direct influence of these two factors on the use of the e-learning system, which is also influenced indirectly by social influence through the mediatization of perceived usefulness.