Medical evacuation from Gabon to Morocco: how do you prepare a patient’s transfer?

What is specific to a departure from Gabon

Several practical factors make rapid preparation possible, provided they are anticipated.

A shared medical language

Gabonese medical reports are written in French, a language widely used in Moroccan medicine. Doctors can talk to each other directly, by phone or in writing, without an intermediary. This reduces the risk of information being lost at handover.

A similar time zone

Gabon is on UTC+1, like Morocco for most of the year; Morocco returns to UTC+0 during the month of Ramadan. A conversation between a doctor in Libreville and the team in Rabat can therefore often take place in the same time slot, which matters in an urgent situation.

Internal distances to take into account

Libreville is the country’s main international air gateway. A patient in Port-Gentil, Franceville, Oyem or another town may need a first transfer to the capital. This journey is part of the care pathway: it must suit the patient’s condition and be coordinated with the time of the international flight.

Preparing the medical file in Gabon

Whether it comes from a university hospital, a regional hospital or a clinic, the file benefits from including:

• a recent summary letter from the doctor caring for the patient, with the precise reason for transfer;
• hospital and test reports, dated and legible;
• the imaging files themselves whenever possible, not just their reports;
• the pathology report if cancer is suspected, and where the tissue blocks or slides are stored;
• the list of current treatments, with doses, and any allergies.

These documents can be sent by email or WhatsApp before any travel. The file travels first, the patient afterwards.

Funding: CNAMGS, insurers and employers

In Gabon, the Caisse nationale d’assurance maladie et de garantie sociale (CNAMGS) is the public health insurance body. For its members, cover for a medical evacuation abroad falls under the Caisse’s own procedure: you should ask it which documents are required, how approval works and how long it takes. Patients covered by private insurance or by their employer follow the procedure of their contract. In all cases, a recent medical report and a detailed estimate from the receiving facility are among the documents usually requested.

Entering Morocco

Morocco and Gabon have concluded an agreement abolishing visas for holders of ordinary passports. Entry requirements may nevertheless change: it remains essential to check them with the Moroccan embassy in Libreville or on the official websites of the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs before departure. The passports of the patient and the companion must be valid for the whole planned stay, including any extension.

A documented medical link between Gabon and Morocco

Neurosurgery missions have been carried out in Gabon with Moroccan specialists, notably at the Agondjé University Hospital in December 2017 and at the Owendo University Hospital in May 2023; a Pink October campaign was also organised with the Embassy of Gabon in Morocco. These events, presented in the website’s reports, illustrate cooperation between teams. They do not replace the individual assessment of each file.

Preparing the return and follow-up in Gabon

The return is prepared from the day of admission. The patient leaves with the hospital discharge report, the operative report if they had surgery, the results, prescriptions using international non-proprietary names and a follow-up schedule. These documents are intended for the doctor who will take over follow-up in Gabon. Before discharge, it is worth checking that the prescribed medicines are available in Gabon, or planning a sufficient supply for the transition period.

Frequently asked questions