RABAT, June 8 -- The African Development Bank has approved a loan of 120 million euros (130 million U.S. dollars) to support the healthcare development in Morocco, the official news agency MAP reported Thursday.

The loan aims to expand healthcare services in Morocco's rural areas, modernize hospitals, and strengthen governance through better allocation of human and financial resources, the report said.

Hospitals will be built and equipped with medical-technical platforms in the targeted regions of Beni Mellal-Khenifra, Draa-Tafilalet and Guelmin-Oued Noun, it added.

The African Development Bank, which started its engagement with Morocco more than 50 years ago, has provided more than 12 billion euros to help the health, energy, water, transport, human development, agriculture and financial sectors in the North African country.

  - Xinhua