In Momentum #05 – Healing Horizons | UM6P Healthcare Innovation in Africa

Located in Benguerir, the Smart Health Care City (SHCC) is UM6P’s comprehensive solution to Africa’s pressing healthcare needs. More than a traditional hospital, SHCC is a full-fledged ecosystem designed to educate and train future physicians, incubate biotech startups, propel research aligned with African health priorities, and deliver world-class care to both regional and local populations.

At the heart of the SHCC is a 140-bed general hospital, a specialist geriatric center, and a rehabilitation and post-operative care center. The campus also features cutting-edge simulation laboratories, AI-driven medical training facilities, and a biotechnology park that encourages cross-sectorial collaboration between scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs.

🎯 Its overarching ambition? To position Morocco—and the African continent—as a global driver of healthcare innovation, rather than a passive consumer of imported solutions.

Dr. Sanae Ben Mkaddem

An associate professor in immunology at the Faculty of Medical Sciences (FMS), Dr. Ben Mkaddem represents the vanguard of interdisciplinary research in Africa. Her work blends artificial intelligence, immunotherapy, and biomedical engineering to tackle some of the continent’s most pressing health challenges.

At the heart of her research is a bold vision: using AI-powered diagnostic tools to detect diseases earlier, tailoring treatments through precision medicine, and building predictive surveillance systems that can anticipate epidemics. Beyond research, she is shaping a generation of medical students to think holistically, combining data, ethics, and clinical relevance.

Mr. Jalil Chattaoui

As a clinical psychologist at the UM6P Health Center, Mr. Chattaoui plays a crucial role in building the emotional infrastructure of the university. His approach is rooted in psychoanalytical care, but his work is anything but traditional.

Recognizing the mental toll of academic pressure and life transitions, he leads the university’s Wellness Program, offering a range of support services—from individual consultations to group workshops and from stress-management coaching to creative therapies like painting, music, and mindfulness through VR.
His approach aims to normalize psychological care on campus and make mental well-being an essential part of student success.

Beyond hospitals and technologically advanced labs, In Momentum #05 explores how music, culture, and art are becoming a powerful and science-backed arsenal of healers. At UM6P, health is no longer viewed solely through the lens of medicine—it is reimagined as a multi-sensory, multidimensional experience. From violin therapy sessions, which enhance emotional regulation and neuroplasticity, to art therapy workshops that offer students and patients a safe space to relax, reflect, and recharge, creative expression is being intentionally infused into the university’s overall wellness plan.

These programs are not frills. They are a response to growing scientific evidence that visual arts and music can reduce stress hormones, activate healing processes, and build emotional resilience. It represents a shift in vision: healing must reach the mind as well as the body, reason as well as imagination, and science as well as soul.