ABSTRACT
Dr. Mamouri invited me to his office at the hospital not far from the RHO clinic in Tarma one afternoon for an interview. Even though he was the director of maternity and obstetrics at this public hospital, he also saw patients one day a week at the RHO clinic. I found him to be a well-respected doctor in the local communities. Many women raved to me about the exceptional care they received from Dr. Mamouri, either during routine exams or their deliveries. Dr. Mamouri was extremely knowledgeable and yet very personable. He liked to laugh and was very animated when he spoke. He was born in Morocco and is of Moroccan heritage, but he lived in Belgium for a long time. This is where he completed his medical training before returning to Morocco to practice. During our conversation over tea, he described Morocco as his “mother” and Belgium as his “father.” I noticed that more than other doctors he would speak to patients in French instead of darija. Each afternoon, after he arrived at the RHO clinic and got himself settled in the exam room, he would poke his head out of the hallway into the waiting room to say “On y va” (let's go) to the female patients waiting.
