SWEDD Project: Building Capacity of Three Public Health Institutions to become Regional Centers of Excellence

Ivoiry Coast hosted from April 16 to 20, 2018, the workshop on the excellence centers modalities for the Master in Nursing and Obstetrics Sciences, under the chairmanship of the Deputy Director General of Ivoiry Coast Ministry of Health and representatives of: Regional Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Director-General of the West African Health Organization (WAHO),  health ministries of SWEDD countries and experts in health and population and pedagogy.

The implementation of regional centers of excellence responds to one of the major challenges of the region countries: the lack of quality health care, especially for the mother-child couple. Indeed, further reducing maternal and child mortality, and providing quality services, requires not only infrastructure and equipment that meet international standards, but above all, qualified health personnel capable of preventing unwanted pregnancies and providing care for women. during pregnancies and deliveries, to avoid complications and to intervene in time, if necessary.

The SWEDD project supports midwifery training institutions to improve quality and increase the number of midwives and other staff involved in reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and nutritional health (SRMNIN). Three institutions, ENSP Niamey, INFAS Côte d'Ivoire, and INFSS Mali, were selected to benefit from capacity building and to host the Masters in Nursing and Obstetrics Sciences.

This workshop, organized by WAHO and UNFPA, is part of the activities of the Women's Empowerment and Demographic Dividend in the Sahel (SWEDD) project, a regional initiative involving six member countries, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Chad. The main purpose of the SWEDD project is to accelerate the demographic transition and reduce gender inequalities in the Sahel.