A major new commitment to maternal and child health has been officially presented Friday, May 9, at the Abobo Town Hall, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. Two main projects will in fact be implemented by the University of Padua and the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, in partnership with Doctors with Africa CUAMM, with the support of the Italian Cooperation, as part of the Mattei Plan.
The launch ceremony was attended by Stefano Gatti, Director General for Development Cooperation, who was visiting Abidjan at the head of a delegation from the Italian development cooperation system together with Ivorian authorities, including the Minister of Health of Côte d’Ivoire, Pierre N’gou Dimba, and Madame Kandia Camara, Mayor of Abobo and President of the Senate, as well as project partners Dr. Annamaria Merola and Dr. Francesca Priolo representing the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, and Don Dante Carraro, Director of Doctors with Africa CUAMM.
The projects, developed in close collaboration with the Ivorian health authorities, focus on two main areas.
The first initiative focus on the rehabilitation and reconstruction works at the Félix Houphouët-Boigny Regional Hospital Center in Abobo and the strengthening of Community-Based Urban Health Facilities (FSUCom) in Abobo Avocatier and Abobo Baoulé. With an estimated population of about 750,000, Abobo East is a rapidly growing urban area. The Félix Houphouët-Boigny Regional Hospital Center, which alone recorded 8,000 births in 2024, faces increasing demand in an already overcrowded setting. Hence, the need for a major infrastructure upgrade to expand its capacity, enhance the maternity and neonatal units, and introduce support services such as a blood bank and an oxygen center.
In parallel, the second initiative aims to reinforce technical and functional support for 30 faith-based health facilities affiliated with the Union of Religious for Health and Social Affairs in Côte d’Ivoire (URSSCI), with the goal of improving their integration into the national health system. Planned activities include strengthening managerial and clinical skills, promoting coordination and integration mechanisms with the national system, providing medical equipment, improving infrastructure, and developing referral systems.
Complementing these efforts, cross-cutting community health, training, and research activities will be carried out through the involvement of the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore and the University of Padua.
“This project is for you, for the community, but it is also for us, because it stems from a genuine partnership—built on people, organizations, and mutual commitment. This is the essence of this model of cooperation. The initiatives presented today are an extraordinary example of this approach in a country that, since 2024, has become a priority for the Mattei Plan, demonstrating the strategic importance of Côte d’Ivoire for the development of the entire region,” said Stefano Gatti, Director General for Development Cooperation.
Later, Father Dante Carraro, Director of Doctors with Africa CUAMM, took the floor. After thanking Minister Dimba, Ambassador Luzzi, delegation head Gatti, and the entire Abobo community, he addressed the audience:
“Today we are here not for ceremony, but to renew our commitment. We have one single, steadfast goal: we want no mother to die in childbirth, no newborn to die in their first month of life. We know we cannot save the world, but we are determined to do our part. This is our commitment, and we reaffirm it today.”
“This initiative addresses an urgent and priority need: ensuring that pregnant women and children have access to quality health services in one of the most populated and vulnerable districts of Abidjan. By investing in the health of Abobo, we invest in the living heart of Abidjan, and through Abidjan we foster the development of all of Côte d’Ivoire. Today, together, we are laying the foundation for a more just, fair, and united society,” said H.E. Arturo Luzzi, Italian Ambassador to Côte d’Ivoire.
Then representatives from the two universities addressed the participants.
“Since its founding, the Catholic University has placed particular emphasis on training doctors in the values of solidarity, listening, and care, which are at the heart of healing, especially for the weakest and most suffering. It is a fascinating mission that engages the whole person. It is with this spirit that we are preparing to begin the project,” said Professor Annamaria Merola of the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart.
“We firmly believe that the quality of obstetric and neonatal care depends on genuine partnerships, rooted in a deep understanding of the local context, listening to needs, and the co-design of innovative, sustainable, and measurable interventions. The integration of data care, training, and clinical innovation is the distinctive contribution our Department is proud to offer to the project,” stated Professor Eugenio Baraldi, Director of the Department of Women’s and Children’s Health at the University of Padua, in a message delivered in his absence.
To conclude the meeting, Côte d’Ivoire’s Minister of Health Pierre N’gou Dimba remarked:
“The urban area of Abobo embodies all the healthcare challenges our system faces today. With this project, we aim to structurally and sustainably improve the health conditions of our population. But it’s not just about infrastructure—it’s about investing in health, dignity, and the future of our communities. This is a strategic project because it meets the real needs of those who seek care and services every day under difficult conditions. I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for this spirit of collaboration. The professionalism, enthusiasm, and dedication I’ve seen from all the partners involved fills me with pride.”
“We are convinced that the quality of obstetric and neonatal care depends on authentic partnerships based on deep knowledge of the local context, listening to needs, and co-designing innovative, sustainable, and measurable interventions. The integration of data management, training, and clinical innovation is the distinctive contribution that our Department is proud to offer to this project,” said Prof. Eugenio Baraldi, Director of the Department of Women’s and Children’s Health at the University of Padua, in a message read during the ceremony.
Complementary activities in community health, training, and research will also be implemented through the involvement of the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore and the University of Padua.
The initiatives, aimed at strengthening healthcare services in the country and improving access to care for the population, are part of the Mattei Plan, launched by the President of the Council during the Italy-Africa Summit in January 2024.
