Morocco’s King Mohammed undergoes successful heart surgery

Yesterday, Morocco’s King Mohammed VI underwent a successful heart surgery in France, state news agency MAP said.

The 54-year old king was treated at a Ambroise Paré Clinic in Paris after suffering from a “heart rhythm disorder” on January 20, the agency said, adding he had been diagnosed with an “atrial flutter”.  The surgery normalised the heart rhythm, and the king would be able to resume his duties without any restrictions.

The news agency also published the photograph of the King on the hospital bed, surrounded by relations.  Here is the full statement as published by the agency: “HM the king had on Saturday 20th January 2018 a heart rhythm disorder. The doctors of HM the King said that medical examinations carried out for this purpose revealed an atrial flutter. The ablation by radio frequency of this arrhythmia, performed today at the Ambroise Paré clinic in Paris, allowed the normalization of the heart rhythm. At the end of a rest period as prescribed by his treating physicians, HM the King will resume his normal activities without any restriction.”

Statement by the medical team composed of: Dr Abdelaziz Maouni, Dr Olivier Thomas, Dr Sébastien Bloc, Dr Olivier Dubourg, Dr Ali Chaib, Dr Lahcen Belyamani.  The king, who heads the Muslim world’s longest-serving dynasty, took office in 1999 after his father, Hassan II, died of a heart attack.

The political and social stability of Morocco is closely watched by Western governments as it is the only country in North Africa where jihadist groups have failed to gain a foothold, and is an important partner against Islamist militancy in terms of intelligence-sharing.

The kingdom has escaped mass uprisings such as in Egypt, Libya or other Arab countries, but protests have erupted since 2016 in some rural areas against poverty and unemployment. Morocco has averted previous protests with a combination of limited constitutional reforms, heavy policing and hefty public spending.