What medications and first-aid items should I pack for Morocco?

I always suggest a compact personal pharmacy, because while Moroccan pharmacies are genuinely excellent (more on that below), it's far more relaxing to have your trusted brands on hand the moment you need them rather than hunting for an equivalent at 10pm in the desert. The non-negotiables in my packing list: oral rehydration salts (sachets you dissolve in water — the best cure for any stomach upset), loperamide for diarrhoea, and a good general painkiller like paracetamol or ibuprofen.

Add antihistamines (useful for dust, pollen, insect bites and minor allergic reactions), a small tube of antiseptic cream, plasters and proper blister care if you plan to walk the medinas or hike, and motion-sickness tablets — I cannot stress these enough for anyone prone to car-sickness, because the winding Tizi n'Tichka pass over the Atlas and the road to Chefchaouen are beautiful but very twisty. High-SPF sunscreen and a good lip balm are essential year-round; the Moroccan sun is strong even in winter.

If you take prescription medication, this is the important part: bring enough for your whole trip plus a few spare days, keep it in your hand luggage, and leave it in the original labelled boxes. Carry a copy of your prescription or a letter from your doctor, especially for anything controlled, injectable, or that looks unusual to a customs officer. This is rarely checked but makes any conversation effortless if it ever comes up.

A few thoughtful extras I've seen save trips: eye drops for the dry desert air and dust, a small bottle of hand sanitiser for before meals when you're out and about, and electrolyte tablets for hot days. If you wear contact lenses, bring more solution than you think — the dry, dusty environment is hard on them, and many guests switch to glasses for the desert leg.

You don't need anything exotic and you don't need to over-pack. Morocco isn't a high-risk medical environment, and there's no malaria. This is simply about comfort and self-sufficiency, so a minor scrape or an unexpected headache never interrupts a single beautiful day. Anything you forget, a pharmacy will sort you out with a friendly smile.