Health in Marrakech: pharmacies, doctors, emergencies and precautions

Emergency numbers in Morocco

Write these short numbers down before you leave: they are free and answer at any hour. If you are staying in a riad or hotel, ask reception to call for you, as they can give the exact address, which is hard to describe from the far end of a medina derb.

The British Foreign Office also gives 150 for an ambulance; the French consulate gives 15 and 141, which we use here. French nationals facing a serious emergency outside opening hours can reach the on-call line of the French consulate general in Marrakech, on Rue Camille Cabana in the Hivernage district, at +212 6 61 34 42 89. For theft or a dispute, the tourist police on Jemaa el-Fna square are covered in our guide to scams to avoid in Marrakech.

Pharmacies, your first stop

Spotting a pharmacy

Pharmacies are marked by a green cross, often lit up, and a "Pharmacie" sign alongside "صيدلية" in Arabic. There are plenty in Gueliz, in the Hivernage and around the medina gates, fewer in the heart of the souks. Nearly all pharmacists speak French and are happy to advise on minor complaints.

On-duty pharmacies at night and at weekends

In the evening, on Sundays and on public holidays, a rota keeps pharmacies open in every part of the city. The designated pharmacies change every day: the daily list is published by the Marrakech pharmacists' union and by several online directories, with the address and phone number of each one. Ask your accommodation, then call before you set off. Keep some cash on you.

Medicines without a prescription: be careful

Many everyday medicines are sold over the counter, at regulated prices often lower than in Europe. Antibiotics officially require a prescription, even if some counters are more flexible. Do not take antibiotics without medical advice, check the name of the active ingredient and never buy medicines anywhere but a pharmacy: France Diplomatie warns against counterfeits sold in the street and at markets.

Herbalists and druggists in the medina

In the souks, herbalists and druggists, sometimes called "Berber pharmacies", line up jars of herbs, spices and resins, argan oil and alum stone. Their remedies are no substitute for treatment: be wary of demonstrations promising to cure everything.

Doctors, clinics and hospitals

Seeing a doctor

For a fever, an ear infection or a sprain, the quickest option is to ask your riad or hotel for the name of a doctor: many know general practitioners who see patients straight away or make house calls. Medicine in Morocco is largely taught in French, and most doctors in Marrakech speak it fluently; consulates also keep an up-to-date list of French-speaking doctors and specialists. Fees are set freely: expect roughly 150 to 300 DH for a GP in a surgery, 300 to 600 DH for a specialist, and considerably more for a house call, especially at night.

Private clinics

Foreign visitors are usually treated in the private sector, which is better equipped and faster than the public one. Several clinics are in Gueliz and the Hivernage. The Polyclinique du Sud, at 2 Rue de Yougoslavie in Gueliz, has an emergency department that never closes, imaging and specialist consultations. The Clinique Internationale de Marrakech, on the airport road (Avenue Guemassa), also takes emergencies day and night. Expect to pay up front or leave a deposit: France Diplomatie points out that facilities may demand full payment of costs before discharge.

The public hospital: CHU Mohammed VI

The Mohammed VI university hospital centre groups several hospitals, including Ibn Tofail hospital, on Rue Abdelouahab Derraq in the Semlalia district north of Gueliz, Arrazi hospital, the largest in the city, which has an adult emergency department, and the mother-and-child hospital, with paediatric and gynaecological emergencies. Treatment there is cheaper, but waits can be long.

Travel insurance and repatriation

Before you leave, make sure you have insurance covering medical costs and repatriation: France Diplomatie considers it essential for Morocco. The European Health Insurance Card is not valid in Morocco, and the Franco-Moroccan social security agreement does not cover tourists. French national health insurance may refund part of the cost of urgent care when you get home, but only at French rates. Call your assistance provider as soon as you are admitted: it can guarantee payment to the clinic. Keep every invoice and prescription.

Where to go, depending on the problem

Prices checked in October 2026, for guidance only: fees are set freely and vary from one practitioner to another.

The most common problems

Stomach upsets

This is the most frequent complaint. Wash your hands often, choose dishes that are well cooked and served hot, and be wary of raw vegetables, unpeeled fruit, fresh juices diluted with water, and ice. At the Jemaa el-Fna food stalls, pick the busiest ones; see our guide on what to eat in Marrakech. For water, bottled versus tap and public toilets are covered in our guide to toilets and tap water in Marrakech. If you have diarrhoea, drink plenty, with oral rehydration salts; see a doctor if you have a fever, blood in your stools or symptoms lasting more than two or three days, and straight away for a young child.

Heat, sun and dehydration

In July and August, average highs approach 38 °C and exceed 40 °C during heatwaves; in Merzouga or Zagora they often go above 45 °C. Sightsee early in the morning and late in the day, take a break during the hottest hours, drink regularly without waiting until you are thirsty, and wear a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen. On Jemaa el-Fna square at midday, or on a trip to the Agafay desert, shade is scarce. Headache, nausea, hot dry skin or confusion should make you think of heatstroke: move the person somewhere cool, cool them down and call 141. Our guides to Marrakech in summer and the best time to visit Marrakech cover the climate in detail.

Altitude: Toubkal and Oukaimeden

Jbel Toubkal rises to 4,167 m. The classic ascent starts from Imlil, at 1,740 m, and stops overnight at the refuge, at around 3,207 m, with a licensed guide compulsory. Acute mountain sickness can set in above about 2,500 m: headache, nausea, unusual tiredness, poor sleep. Climb gradually and go back down if the symptoms get worse; breathlessness at rest or confusion call for an immediate descent. The ski area at Oukaimeden spans roughly 2,600 m to 3,200 m: a single day there rarely causes problems, but sunlight reflected off the snow burns quickly. In winter, temperatures at the summit of Toubkal can fall below -20 °C.

Dogs, cats and rabies

Rabies is present in Morocco: the Ministry of Health records about twenty human cases a year on average, nine out of ten transmitted by a dog. Do not stroke stray dogs or medina cats, however calm they seem. After a bite, a scratch or a lick on broken skin, wash the area with soap and water for 15 minutes, disinfect it, then go to an emergency department the same day: post-exposure treatment is needed, even if you have been vaccinated.

Insect bites, henna and hammams

In the evening, sandflies can transmit leishmaniasis; there is no vaccine, and prevention relies on insect repellent and covering clothing at dusk. The "black" henna tattoos offered on the square can cause severe allergic reactions: choose natural henna, which is orange-brown. At the hammam, drink before and after and leave if the heat makes you feel unwell; our hammam guide explains who should avoid it.

Before you leave

Recommended vaccines

No vaccine is required to enter Morocco, and the country has no malaria. Bring your routine vaccinations up to date, especially diphtheria, tetanus, polio and measles, as France Diplomatie reported a rise in measles cases in 2026. Hepatitis A is recommended, with the Institut Pasteur advising an injection at least 15 days before departure. Typhoid, hepatitis B and rabies are worth discussing depending on the length of your stay, how you travel and the age of your children. See your doctor or a travel vaccination centre a few weeks before you go.

Travelling with medication

Take enough for the whole trip, plus a few days' margin, in your hand luggage and in the original packaging. Bring the prescription, written if possible with the international non-proprietary names (INN) of the active ingredients, which lets a Moroccan pharmacist find an equivalent. Some medicines do not have the same status in Morocco as in Europe: check before you leave if you take psychotropic or opioid-based treatment.

Your first-aid kit

• Digestive: oral rehydration salts, anti-diarrhoeal, intestinal antiseptic on medical advice.
• Sun and heat: high-factor sunscreen, after-sun, water bottle.
• Minor care: plasters, antiseptic, blister plasters, hand sanitiser.
• Other: painkiller, antihistamine, insect repellent, thermometer.

Dentists

If you have toothache, private practices in Gueliz and the Hivernage can often see you quickly. Ask for a quote before treatment, pay on the spot and keep the invoice for your insurer.

Reduced mobility

The medina is poorly suited to wheelchairs: narrow alleys, uneven ground, steps, scooters and handcarts. Riads often have steep stairs and rarely a lift. Recent hotels in Gueliz and the Hivernage are more accessible; ask for photos of the access before booking.

Further reading

To plan the rest of your trip, our Marrakech budget guide helps you set aside a reserve for the unexpected, and the one on money and tipping explains how to get cash. Women travellers will find advice in travelling solo in Marrakech as a woman, and if you are heading into the dunes for several days, read our guide to the desert from Marrakech.