Categoria: Field updates

World Breastfeeding Week: Giving Every Child the Best Possible Start in Life

Posted on by Flavia Fiacco

Breastfeeding is much more than an act of care: it is one of the first and most powerful ways to ensure health, growth, and a better future.

During the first six months of life, breast milk provides everything a baby needs and remains a vital source of nutrition beyond that, alongside appropriate complementary feeding. It protects against infections, supports healthy growth and cognitive development, and strengthens the bond between mother and child. At the same time, breastfeeding also contributes to mothers’ health and well-being.

But breastfeeding is not simply an individual choice. Every woman should be able to rely on trained health workers, accessible health services, and supportive communities throughout her breastfeeding journey. That is why protecting, promoting, and supporting breastfeeding is a public health priority—a shared responsibility that requires investment at every level.

This is the vision that guides us. In every country where we work, we stand alongside mothers and their children during one of the most important and delicate moments of their lives together, strengthening maternal and child health services, training health workers, and working with institutions and communities to create an environment where breastfeeding can thrive.

This is also the message behind World Breastfeeding Week 2026, celebrated under the theme “Breastfeeding for a Sustainable Start in Life: Strengthen What Works”, which calls for greater investment in the policies, services, and support systems that enable every child to have the best possible start in life.

Tanzania: A New Space to Support Mothers and Early Childhood Development

To mark the closing of World Breastfeeding Week, together with the Ministry of Health of Tanzania, we inaugurated the new Breastfeeding & Early Childhood Development (ECD) Room at the Ministry’s headquarters in Dodoma. Established by CUAMM with the support of Zanetti funds, the facility provides mothers with a safe, private and welcoming space to breastfeed or express milk while promoting nurturing care and early childhood development. It represents a concrete step towards creating more breastfeeding-friendly environments.

Angola: Strengthening Skills and Collaboration

In Angola, we supported the Provincial Department of Public Health in organising the World Breastfeeding Week celebrations, contributing to awareness activities and a technical round table where health professionals shared experiences and developed recommendations on exclusive breastfeeding, complementary feeding, maternal support, breastfeeding for mothers living with HIV or hepatitis B, Kangaroo Mother Care, and the future development of Baby-Friendly Hospitals and a human milk bank.

Mozambique: Supporting Mothers Every Day

In Beira, through the Protect Project, we highlighted the work of the Kuplumussana Association activists, who work every day in the Central Hospital and four health centres to support women through awareness and education activities on breastfeeding, Kangaroo Mother Care, and the care of premature newborns.

From national institutions to hospitals and the most remote communities, our commitment remains the same: strengthening what works so that every mother receives the support she needs and every child has the best possible start in life.

Life-saving Neonatal Care

Posted on by Angela Bertocco

Semhal Gebretnsae is a 22-year-old woman from Western Tigray. Due to the conflict, her family was displaced from their home and sought safety at the Five Angels IDP Camp in Shire. Although life in the camp was difficult, when Semhal discovered she was pregnant with her first child, she attended all her antenatal care (ANC) appointments because she wanted the best possible outcome for her pregnancy. 

“As my pregnancy progressed, I learned that I was carrying twins. The healthcare providers at the health center closely monitored my pregnancy because twin pregnancies carry a higher risk of premature delivery and other complications – she recalls -. The midwives explained that since I was carrying twins and was only 35 weeks, my babies could be born too earlier and with low birth weight. They might need specialized care, including incubators, oxygen, and other medical equipment, so they advised me to deliver at Suhul General Hospital where specialized newborn care was available.” 

Understanding the risks, Semhal accepted the referral. 

“It was my first time visiting Suhul General Hospital. From the moment I arrived, I was welcomed warmly by the healthcare providers. They treated me with kindness, respect, and compassion, which made me feel safe despite being worried about my babies.”

On June 10, 2026 she delivered twin girls. Mebrihit weighed about 1,400 grams and immediately received eEssential nNewborn cCare, including thermal protection, vitamin K, umbilical cord care, and oral polio vaccine (OPV-0). Twenty minutes later, Hiwet was born weighing only 800 grams, placing her in the extremely low birth weight category. She did not cry at birth and required immediate resuscitation. BGiven the situation, both babies were referred to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

The duty nurse vividly recalled their arrival: “Hiwet was in a very critical condition. She was gasping for air, her oxygen saturation was very low, and she showed severe respiratory distress. We immediately began neonatal resuscitation and placed her in an incubator, closely monitoring her because every minute was critical. Although Mebrihit was more stable, she was also premature and required incubator care to maintain her body temperature and prevent complications associated with low birth weight.”

As the twins grew stronger, they were assessed for Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC). Mebrihit was stable enough to begin KMC after three days, while Hiwet joined her four days later.

“Once the babies became clinically stable, Kangaroo Mother Care became a key part of their recovery. We supported their mother with continuous skin-to-skin care, exclusive breastfeeding, infection prevention, and recognizing danger signs. She was very committed and followed every instruction we gave her” explained the duty nurse.

Both babies steadily gained weight and improved clinically in the KMC unit. Mebrihit was discharged after 20 days weighing 1,760 grams. Hiwet also responded remarkably well to treatment, increasing from 800 grams at birth to 1,500 grams by discharge. Both babies went home in stable condition with scheduled follow-up appointments for growth monitoring and breastfeeding support.

Reflecting on their recovery, the duty nurse emphasized the impact of strengthening neonatal services:

“Before the neonatal unit was strengthened, we frequently lost premature and critically ill newborns because we lacked essential equipment such as incubators, oxygen therapy devices, and CPAP machines. Even when our staff did everything possible, we simply did not have the resources needed to save many babies. Today, the neonatal unit has been renovated, healthcare providers have received NICU training, a pediatrician and pediatric nurse have been assigned, and essential equipment has been supplied. These investments have transformed the quality of the newborn care we provide.“

All this was made possible thanks to the project ‘Strengthening Neonatology in Ethiopia’, supported by Italian Cooperation and implemented by Doctors with Africa CUAMM in collaboration with the Ethiopian Paediatric Association, the Ethiopian Ministry of Health and the Union of European Neonatal and Perinatal Societies (UENPS).

The survival of these twins is more than a medical success as it demonstrates that investing in neonatal care, saves lives and provides a greater chance to thrive.

Karamoja: drought pushes thousands into hunger

Posted on by Flavia Fiacco

In Karamoja, northeastern Uganda, months of drought have severely affected crops. The situation, already marked by poverty and malnutrition, has now become critical.

According to the latest analysis by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), 473,000 people, representing 32% of Karamoja’s population, are currently experiencing acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above). Of these, 41,000 people are facing Emergency levels of food insecurity (IPC Phase 4) and require immediate assistance. At the same time, an estimated 122,100 children under the age of five will suffer from acute malnutrition in 2026, including more than 30,000 who will experience severe acute malnutrition. In addition, approximately 8,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women are in urgent need of nutritional care.

We have been working in Karamoja for more than twenty years. Today, in the face of this new emergency, we feel more strongly than ever our responsibility to stand alongside the most vulnerable communities. Our team are strengthening efforts to provide nutritional care for children suffering from severe acute malnutrition, support mothers through antenatal care services, help families identify and address the most serious cases as early as possible and link families to food assistance programmes supported by the Ugandan Government, the World Food Programme and the United Nations.

Once again, this crisis reminds us that hunger is not a fate, but the result of conditions that can be changed when we work together – from the effects of the climate crisis to poverty and the fragility of agricultural systems. We continue our work in close coordination with local authorities, the Ministry of Health, United Nations agencies and other partners on the ground, with the aim of saving lives today while strengthening the resilience of communities in the medium and long term. However, additional resources remain essential to ensure that no child or mother is left without the care and support they need during this critical time.

South Omo: a healthcare network to protect mothers and children

Posted on by Angela Bertocco

In Ethiopia, in the Districts of Jinka Town, Baka Dawula, and South Ari within the South Omo region, malnutrition represents a devastating challenge for the survival of the youngest: in these areas, chronic malnutrition and stunting rates historically affect nearly one in two children under the age of five (around 44%). A scourge fueled by deep food and economic insecurity, where recurring droughts and subsistence farming deprive families of the necessary variety and availability of food, exposing women and children to a constant risk of acute malnutrition.

It is precisely in this complex context that, starting from February 2024, the intervention of Medici con l’Africa Cuamm “Combating malnutrition and promoting good nutrition practices in the South Omo Zone (SNNPR) in Ethiopia” was launched. The project, which officially concluded last week, focused its efforts on multiple levels: strengthening the capacity of the local healthcare system (Jinka Hospital and peripheral health centers), increasing access to prevention and treatment services for malnutrition, particularly for children under 5 and pregnant and lactating women ; the promotion of good hygiene and nutritional practices through educational interventions that reached over 22,000 people. At the community level in fact, 3,700 children and 535 pregnant/lactating women underwent nutritional screening; 24 awareness sessions and 4 practical cooking demonstrations were conducted to teach mothers how to prepare nutritious meals using local ingredients.

Finally, special attention was dedicated to Early Childhood Development (ECD), the cognitive, motor, and social development of children, through 36 sessions of “Tea Talk” for 192 children and caregivers, combining play and guided discussions on health. The commitment also focused on upgrading infrastructure, completing the rehabilitation of the pediatric ward at Jinka General Hospital, building a kitchen for the preparation of therapeutic meals, and renovating the maternity waiting room. Furthermore, essential medicines and medical equipment were guaranteed to 4 healthcare facilities.

Quality healthcare cannot exist without well-trained healthcare workers. Therefore, 25 professionals were trained on the management of severe acute malnutrition, and supervision sessions were conducted for 45 Community Health Extension Workers (HEWs). The improvement of skills allowed for the identification and enrollment into treatment pathways of 370 children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) or moderate acute malnutrition (MAM). Additionally, 10,600 women had access to pre- and post-natal services.

Unexpected events were not lacking, such as the outbreak of a Marburg epidemic which required a timely adaptation of the intervention. In particular, personal protective equipment, water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) supplies, and emergency medicines were provided, alongside the organization of intensive awareness campaigns to inform the population about the virus symptoms. Cuamm was officially recognized at the national level for the immediate support provided during the epidemic.

Cuamm’s intervention thus concludes, leaving a tangible legacy in a territory that remains marked by deep structural complexities. Despite the ongoing challenges — from critical shortages of therapeutic milk and foods to weaknesses in data monitoring, up to recent logistical delays caused by the Marburg virus disease outbreak and fuel scarcity — the project delivers fundamental pillars for the future to the communities. The path toward autonomy for the South Omo Zone can now rely on a local health authority strengthened by capacity building, stable infrastructure and equipment that reduce dependence on external aid, and a joint supervision model across regional, zonal, and district levels, which is indispensable to overcome resistance and guarantee the continuity of services over time.

From Mozambique and Angola to Panama: How Community Participation Can Shape Global Health Responses

Posted on by Flavia Fiacco

As outbreaks become more frequent, complex and interconnected, one lesson has become increasingly clear: effective emergency response depends not only on medical expertise, supplies and technical capacity, but also on trust, dialogue and the active participation of communities in protecting their own health.

This was the perspective we brought to the Social and Behaviour Change Communication SBCC Summit 2026 in Panama, one of the world’s leading global gatherings on SBCC. Together with experts and practitioners from around the world, we contributed to the discussion on how social and behavioural approaches can strengthen preparedness for and response to health emergencies.

“It is not rhetoric, and it may sound obvious, but taking social and behavioural determinants into account is an essential prerequisite for designing effective and cost-efficient health interventions, particularly in emergencies and low-resource settings,” said Edoardo Occa, CUAMM Community Health Expert.

The Summit took place at a critical moment for global health. From cholera outbreaks intensified by climate-related shocks to emerging infectious diseases, emergency responses face a common challenge: ensuring that people understand, trust and adopt recommended prevention and control measures.

While investments in outbreak response often prioritize logistics, surveillance systems and clinical care, a growing body of evidence shows that interventions are more effective when communities are actively involved in their design and implementation. Social and Behaviour Change approaches help health actors understand local perceptions, identify barriers to protective behaviours and establish meaningful dialogue with the people most affected by crises.

“Community engagement is often treated as a secondary component of emergency response, but our research shows the opposite. This is how we build trust, foster dialogue and create participation and ownership. It is through this process that we improve adherence to public health measures and make interventions more effective,” added Occa.

The Summit opened with a call for a change in mindset from Panama’s Minister of Health, Dr. Fernando Boyd Galindo. As health emergencies become the “new normal”, he argued, preparedness can no longer rely solely on clinical and logistical capacities. Social and Behaviour Change must be recognized as a core pillar of resilient health systems, improving the acceptability, effectiveness and cost-efficiency of emergency interventions while informing programme design and resource allocation.

The Summit also represented an important advocacy opportunity for CUAMM, bringing field-based experience into a global conversation on health emergency preparedness and response.

“For CUAMM, participating in the SBCC Summit meant bringing to an international audience the lessons we have learned by working alongside communities every day,” said Andrea Atzori, CUAMM Head of International Relations. “Our experience consistently shows that investing in community-based interventions is essential not only to prevent the spread of infectious diseases, but also to strengthen people’s capacity—especially the most vulnerable—to access health services. International platforms like this are crucial for ensuring that these field experiences help shape national and global policies.”

This message strongly echoed the evidence we presented from operational research conducted with UNICEF in Angola and Mozambique. Recent studies carried out in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique, showed that social and behavioural approaches significantly improved community preparedness for climate-sensitive infectious diseases and increased the adoption of preventive behaviours in emergency settings. The research also identified the social and environmental factors associated with cholera and acute watery diarrhoea among climate-vulnerable populations, providing evidence to better target public health interventions. Complementary findings from Angola further highlighted the acceptability and effectiveness of community-based targeted interventions during the cholera outbreak in Luanda. Together, these studies reinforce a growing body of evidence demonstrating that community engagement is not an add-on to emergency response, but a fundamental component of effective, resilient and sustainable public health action.

While these conclusions resonated strongly throughout the Summit in Panama, for us at CUAMM they are not new. They reflect years of working alongside communities in Angola, Mozambique and other countries where we operate, where community engagement is an integral part of everyday public health practice rather than an abstract concept. The evidence presented at the Summit builds on this field experience, showing how operational research and community-based interventions can generate knowledge that informs global policy. By bringing lessons learned from local contexts to international discussions, community voices can help shape more effective, equitable and resilient responses to future health emergencies.

The future of TB care in Karamoja: the end of a project that marks a new beginning

Posted on by Angela Bertocco

“I had coughed for more than 5 months without stopping. I went to Napumpum health center and other peripheral private clinics in Kotido town; initially, they gave me Amoxicillin capsules and other medicines for pneumonia, but my cough was not responding to any of these medicines. I was getting worse day by day, and I thought the cause was an evil spirit”.

This is the story told by Adome Lochul, a 32-year-old peasant who lives with his wife and two children in a village in the Kotido district, within the Karamoja region of Uganda.

“I was referred to Kotido General Hospital where they took a sample of my sputum, and I was diagnosed with multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). I didn’t understand what it meant; it was only explained to me that it needed to be treated at Matany Hospital, far away from my village. I was really scared and worried, but the health workers and Dr. Paul encouraged me, assuring me that I would recover and explaining that a team of doctors from the Hospital and CUAMM would come to pick me up for treatment. I accepted and, as promised, the team reached my village, where they sensitized the community on TB, screened people, and collected samples from those who were coughing; then they transported me to Matany Hospital for care. They performed various tests, a chest X-ray to check my lungs, and provided me with the necessary medications. The doctors and nurses checked the ward every day, and during my stay, I met other patients who came from Kotido and Kaabong districts, which are very far from Matany; we became friends and encouraged each other to adhere to the therapy and get cured,” Adome added. “When I was discharged, food items such as sugar, salt, cooking oil, and flour were delivered to my home to help support my therapy. I also receive financial support to cover travel expenses on clinic days and to refill medicines at Matany Hospital”.

Since April 2025, Doctors with Africa CUAMM has been implementing the project “PRO-TB: Strengthening the Organized Network for Tuberculosis in Karamoja,” supported by the Charitable Fund and social and cultural initiatives of Intesa Sanpaolo. In this north-eastern region of Uganda, tuberculosis continues to hit hard, much more so than in the rest of the country.

The intervention has had a clear objective: to strengthen the existing networks for tuberculosis screening, case notification, and treatment in Napak and Moroto, while expanding access to care for drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB/MDR-TB) across all nine districts of the sub-region.

TB control in areas like Karamoja is challenging and complex. The communities are predominantly pastoralist, health facilities are scattered across a vast and often inaccessible territory, and healthcare-seeking behavior is heavily influenced by cultural practices and a certain mistrust towards formal healthcare systems.

“We, who are uneducated peasants, don’t have much of an idea of what TB is and sometimes mistake it for something else, just like what happened to me. It is thanks to programs like this from the Government and CUAMM that my people and I were informed, changing our beliefs and later supporting us throughout the treatment. For this reason, people need to be aware. The real challenge comes with home-based care, when taking medications every day becomes difficult and food is scarce. I, however, do my best with the support of my wife”.

Over the course of the project, 4,690 people were screened in the health facilities of the two districts; 1,558 presumptive cases of tuberculosis were identified, and 78 new cases were diagnosed using GeneXpert technology. Furthermore, 968 health workers were trained through on-the-job mentorship, and 145 multi-drug resistant tuberculosis patients were transported and initiated on treatment across the two DR-TB centers of the two districts; 413 patients with various forms of TB were managed at Matany Hospital. Additionally, 20,609 people were reached by awareness-raising activities on the disease during community outreach campaigns, thanks to the invaluable contribution of Village Health Teams (VHTs).

“Closing a project like PRO-TB means much more than presenting a final report; it means laying the foundations for the work to continue. We wanted this final meeting to recognize the extraordinary commitment of the healthcare teams and the DR-TB centers of Matany and Moroto, but above all to encourage the districts to learn from the collected data, results, and treated cases. Sustainability is not automatic: it requires clear agreements and defined responsibilities. By validating the milestones achieved and analyzing the experiences lived, the goal is to define a shared and concrete action plan. We want the health systems of Napak, Moroto, and the entire Karamoja sub-region to be ready to own and implement these activities, ensuring that this moment marks a new beginning for tuberculosis care in the territory, and not an end,” concluded Dr. Solomon Aleper, CUAMM Project Manager.

Cuamm’s philosophy is to accompany local authorities and communities so that the legacy of this intervention is embraced with responsibility, for a more sustainable healthcare system that is deeply rooted in the territory.

The strength of Maker, the strength of South Sudan

Posted on by Angela Bertocco

“He arrived at the neonatal ward of Rumbek Hospital in a severe state of hypothermia and with respiratory distress. Maker weighed about one kilo; he was born at home without adequate assistance. Abeng, the young 19-year-old mother, reportedly experienced family conflicts during her pregnancy because it occurred out of wedlock,” says Dr. Oham Ejikeme Chukwuka, a CUAMM doctor. “At the time of admission, we did not have an incubator available, and there was only one nurse on regular duty. The newborn was immediately resuscitated and stabilized with oxygen therapy, antibiotics, and the ‘kangaroo mother care’ practice, which involves skin-to-skin contact to maintain body temperature. The improvement was gradual, and Abeng was finally able to start breastfeeding him.”

After three weeks, the mother and the baby, who had become clinically stable in the meantime, were discharged. Abeng received a thari, a wrap to continue skin-to-skin contact at home. At the follow-up visit one week after discharge, Maker weighed 1.45 kg and continued to grow; two months later, he reached a weight of 3 kg, and Abeng returned to the ward also to express her gratitude to the entire team.

Hospitals that endure

These are the Rumbek and Yirol Hospitals in Lakes State, South Sudan, despite a peripheral healthcare network facing severe difficulties and a country showing the dramatic effects of the heavy reduction in aid by major international donors. After months of unpaid salaries, lack of drug supplies, and the impossibility of meeting essential needs such as purchasing cleaning materials or fuel to run the generator, most health facilities have suspended their activities. The consequences have been a collapse in outpatient and antenatal visits, as well as vaccinations, triggering several epidemic outbreaks, particularly of measles.

In this landscape, the Rumbek and Yirol Hospitals represent an exception, remaining the only providers of basic and emergency care, with a constantly growing number of patients and encouraging results in terms of increased deliveries and reduced maternal mortality. Doctors with Africa CUAMM, which has been supporting them for several years, continues to promote access to and utilization of effective services to prevent and promptly respond to the main emergencies, particularly obstetric, neonatal, and pediatric ones. Just like for little Maker.

Results that matter

During 2025, there were 5,708 assisted deliveries, 705 obstetric emergencies treated, 10,515 pediatric admissions, and 4,671 ambulance referrals, also thanks to the “Resilience and inclusion project for health and the improvement of living conditions of women, children, and people with disabilities in Lakes State and Warrap State” (AID12869), funded by the Italian Cooperation and implemented with Amref Health Africa ETS, Amref Health Africa in South Sudan, CBM Italia ETS, and CBM International, in addition to the South Sudanese NGO African Development Aid.

“The project has allowed for the continuous presence of an adequate number of staff and the constant availability of medicines, which are basic conditions to guarantee care and to strengthen the population’s trust in the healthcare system, thereby fostering demand for services,” reports Chiara Scanagatta, CUAMM Program Manager for South Sudan and the Central African Republic.

“Health and nutrition education sessions, combined with the distribution of essential kits to complete the continuum of care—from the first antenatal visit to the last vaccination within the child’s first year of life—have led to a significant increase in the number of women who undergo the required 4 antenatal visits and at least 2 postnatal visits, who choose to give birth in the hospital, and who follow the vaccination schedule for their children.
Technical accompaniment by CUAMM healthcare personnel has initiated a continuous improvement in the capacities of the local hospital team and the quality of care provided, achieving results that until recently were unimaginable for a context like South Sudan. In particular, the presence of a specialist pediatrician and investments in infrastructure and equipment have made it possible to set up and develop the neonatal unit of Rumbek Hospital, equipped with dedicated staff, doubling the number of small patients on an annual basis and achieving a survival rate of 90%,” Chiara notes.

Humanity to be safeguarded

For the dignity of many, so many like Abeng and Maker, CUAMM continues to reaffirm the principle of humanity: providing care is an act of resistance that is renewed every day in the commitment to safeguard the lives of the most vulnerable.

Strengthening healthcare in Karamoja

Posted on by Flavia Fiacco

A four-day field visit to Northern Karamoja marked an important moment to celebrate the progress achieved through long-term collaboration to strengthen health services in one of Uganda’s most underserved regions.

We had the pleasure of welcoming and accompanying the Ambassador of Ireland to Uganda, H.E. Mags McGeown, during her official visit to Karamoja, together with the Irish delegation, district leaders, health workers and local authorities. The visit was an opportunity to see first-hand how sustained partnership and investment can contribute to building stronger health systems and bringing quality care closer to communities.

Accompanied by our Country Representative Dr Peter Lochoro, the delegation visited health facilities across the region and celebrated key milestones in maternal and newborn health, access to essential medicines, and emergency referral services.

The visit culminated in the handover of several key health infrastructures supported by Irish Aid and implemented by our team in collaboration with local health authorities. Premises include the Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) at Abim and Kaabong hospitals that will help strengthen the capacity to provide specialised care for vulnerable newborns; a renovated drug store in Karenga, to guarantee storage and management of essential medicines and a Mother Waiting Shed and Blood Bank Unit in Moroto, to support safer deliveries, emergency care and referral services.

“70% of newborn mortality happens in the first week of life, and this shows how important it is to have a functioning NICU,” highlighted Dr Peter Lochoro during the handover of the neonatal facilities.

During the visit to Karenga Health Centre IV, H.E. Mags McGeown underlined the importance of ensuring that essential medicines are available and properly stored:

“One of the most essential elements of healthcare is the availability of medicines, and proper storage is something very important to look at. Thank you for not ignoring it.”

The infrastructures handed over are part of the initiative “Strengthening district health systems for improved access to and utilization of quality RMNCAH integrated services in Karamoja”, that we are implementing with the support of Irish Aid. The programme aims to strengthen the health system at all levels and improve access to and quality of maternal, newborn and child health services across the region.

People before patients

Posted on by Flavia Fiacco

“Working with CUAMM taught me that, as a pediatrician, I must care not only for the disease, but for the whole person.”

These are the words of Eleni Hagos, an Ethiopian pediatrician who has been working with CUAMM since 2020 at St. Luke Hospital in Wolisso, in the Oromia region, about 115 kilometres from Addis Ababa. In recent months, Eleni travelled to Italy for an advanced training and professional exchange programme between the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of the Gaslini Hospital in Genoa and the NICU of the Istituto Clinico Poliambulanza in Brescia, as part of a collaboration with the Union of European Neonatal and Perinatal Societies (UENPS).

Her visit concluded in Padua, where she took part in a workshop at Cuamm headquarters aimed at strengthening neonatal care in her home country.

Her first encounter with CUAMM happened almost by chance:

“I hadn’t planned to work here. One day a friend told me they were looking for a pediatrician, so I applied. Six years have passed since then.”

Before arriving in Wolisso, she had already worked in other hospitals. While clinical work is, broadly speaking, not so different, she says something has changed in the way she views her profession.

“It gave me the opportunity to better understand how a hospital connects with the healthcare system as a whole—from working with health offices and local institutions to engaging with the community. It was something I had not been particularly exposed to before.”

An important perspective in a country where access to healthcare continues to be marked by deep geographical inequalities.

“Being a pediatrician is more or less the same everywhere. What changes are the patients and the context in which they live.”

In rural areas, Eleni explains, malnutrition is more widespread and often more severe than in cities. Infectious diseases also vary depending on the region, as does access to medicines and more advanced diagnostic tests. Although Wolisso is only 115 kilometres from the capital—far from being the country’s most remote area—accessing healthcare services is still far from easy for many people.

“Some patients travel for more than six hours to reach the hospital; others walk for days,” Eleni says.

It is also for this reason that, during her years working alongside CUAMM, she has developed a strong conviction: improving access to healthcare requires looking beyond individual diseases. It means shifting the focus from a single case to the wider population and building connections between hospitals, institutions, healthcare workers, and communities.

“One of the most important things I have learned is the value of community engagement. Prevention, screening, follow-up care—everything starts in the community and reaches the hospital. It’s not just about saving a child’s life. We must accompany them over time, helping both the child and their family cope with the consequences of illness. When a life is saved, our job does not end there.”

Among the many patients she has cared for over the years, one remains particularly close to her heart.

It was a young girl suffering from severe malnutrition who arrived at the hospital in critical condition. Weak, emaciated, and unable even to walk, she had completely lost her appetite due to malnutrition and its complications. Her mother stayed by her bedside every day, anxiously watching for any sign of improvement.

For weeks, the team’s work went far beyond medical treatment alone: nutritional rehabilitation, physiotherapy, psychosocial support, and play activities all helped the child regain her strength and confidence.

“It truly warmed my heart to see her transformation day after day. Slowly, she began eating again, interacting with her mother, and gaining weight.”

Eventually, the girl was discharged and able to return home. But her story did not end there.

“She still comes back for follow-up visits. It’s wonderful to see them. It makes me happy to watch the mother and daughter laughing together.”

Clean Cooking, fostering the commitment to improved cooking solutions

Posted on by Flavia Fiacco

Yesterday in Luanda, we attended the inauguration of a new improved cookstove production center, which will enable the large-scale manufacturing of innovative, efficient, and improved cookstoves. This new facility complements the existing center in Benguela and will support the large-scale production of modern and innovative models as part of the Clean Cooking programme.

Promoted by Eni and implemented in partnership with the Salesianos de Dom Bosco, the programme aims to improve access to modern cooking solutions in Sub-Saharan Africa while also integrating interventions to support community health.

In Uíge, northern Angola, we are engaged in promoting hygiene, health, and nutrition activities, strengthening nutrition services, and training healthcare personnel across 15 health facilities in five municipalities. To date, four health centres have been renovated and upgraded to provide enhanced nutrition services; our awareness-raising activities have reached more than 37,000 people, while training programmes have involved 247 community health workers and 89 healthcare professionals.

This work starts within communities and extends to hospitals, while also strengthening peripheral health centres to ensure the effective management of acute malnutrition cases and continuity of care.

As part of the intervention, we adopt an innovative Social and Behaviour Change (SBC) approach, which seeks to encourage the adoption of healthier practices and ensure the long-term impact of the programme.

This is a tangible example of how access to energy, health, and community development can advance together, generating meaningful benefits for both people and the local area.