Last week we inaugurated the Special Nutrition Unit, complete with an ECD corner and an open kitchen, at the Songo Municipal Hospital, Uige province, northern Angola. The intervention has provided the community with renewed and efficient spaces for care, allowing well-trained healthcare staff to manage nutrition services more effectively.
“We are delighted to be here today to celebrate a major shared milestone: the inauguration of these premises. It is an honor to represent Doctors with Africa CUAMM, an organization whose connection to this province runs deep—Uíge was the very first province in Angola where CUAMM began its work back in 1997. My colleague and I are committed to honoring this legacy, continuing our collaboration with local authorities, and strengthening the province’s health system. We would also like to acknowledge our donor, Eni, and our partner, Don Bosco, whose support made this project possible.” Said Niccolò Grassia – CUAMM Project Manager.
In addition to the municipal hospital, the rehabilitation also included three health centers in Songo, where Therapeutic Programs for Malnourished Patients will be implemented to address moderate and severe acute malnutrition without complications, aiming to reduce its prevalence in the region. Following this first structural intervention, two more centers in Songo will be upgraded, and similar initiatives will be carried out in the municipalities of Quitexe, Damba and Nsosso —bringing the total to 13 strengthened healthcare facilities.
The rehabilitation of the premises is part of the activities planned within the Clean Cooking programme. The programme, carried out in collaboration with Eni and Salesiani Don Bosco, aims to distribute 200,000 improved cookstoves and reach over one million people in the area.
“The project has a clear purpose and aims to improve people’s health, with a special focus on the nutritional status of young children. As the municipal administration, we are committed to doing our best and we thank CUAMM and its partners for their dedication, spirit of solidarity, and strong collaboration.” Floberto David – Deputy Administrator, Songo.
As CUAMM, by adopting the Health Plus strategy we have integrated health services within the broader Clean Cooking initiative with the aim to strengthening local healthcare provision and ensuring adequate support at all levels of care in a total of 5 municipalities (Songo, Quitexe, Damba, Nsosso, and Vista Alegre).
As part of the project, the GIDA training for the integrated management of malnourished patients was carried out in recent months, involving 81 healthcare professionals from four municipalities. The courses strengthened skills in screening, diagnosis according to GLIM criteria (Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition), management of enteral and parenteral nutrition, and personalized interventions, promoting a multidisciplinary approach and improving the quality of life for malnourished patients.
A commitment aimed at strengthening the local healthcare system by ensuring continuity of care—from communities to health centers and up to municipal hospitals. In recent months, 18 cooking demonstrations have already been organized thanks to 147 trained community agents deployed in the field. These activities represent a simple yet effective way to raise awareness among communities about nutrition, as well as hygiene and sanitation practices, promoting positive behaviors and contributing to a reduction in malnutrition, malaria, and infectious diseases.
