WHO Regional Director for Africa Hands over a Maternity Clinic to the Integrated Health Centre of Madibou, Brazzaville

Brazzaville, 6 November 2008 -- The WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Gomes Sambo, currently on official duty tour in the Republic of Congo has, today, handed over a maternity clinic to the integrated heath centre (IHC) of Madibou situated in the southern outskirts of Brazzaville.

The provision of the maternity clinic was Dr Sambo’s response to a pressing need previously expressed by inhabitants of Madibou suburb which is in the same location as the WHO Regional Office for Africa. It should be recalled that during past visits to Madibou by Dr Sambo accompanied, on different occasions by the Secretary for Health of USA, the UNICEF Regional Director for West and Central Africa and the WHO Director-General, Dr Margaret Chan, the inhabitants of Madibou had expressed a need to have a maternity clinic as part of, and within, their integrated health centre.

Against this background, the WHO Representative in the Congo, on the instruction of the Regional Director, embarked upon the construction of the maternity clinic way back to November 2007. The maternity project is also in keeping with the integrated community development initiative by agencies of the United Nations system for Madibou which is located in the Makelekele district council.

With the newly-completed maternity block which is adjacent to and part of the Madibou IHC building, the IHC is now in a position to provide the minimum package of activities. Fully equipped, the maternity block comprises an office for the midwife, a two-bed pre-labour room, two labour wards, an eight-bed post-delivery ward, a room housing the sterilizer, two modern toilets with water closets and two bathrooms. The maternity block also has a laundry room for washing and a borehole for water supply.

The maternity clinic was formally handed over to the Minister of Health, Social and Family Affairs, Mrs Emilienne Raoul who received it in the presence of the Representative of WFP, acting Resident Coordinator of the United Nations System in the Congo, the Representative of UNFPA, the deputy Representative of UNICEF, the Coordinator of UNAIDS and the WHO Representative in the Congo. Several members of the civil society and the executive members of the local health committee participated in this important handing-over ceremony.

For further information please contact

M. Boniface BIBOUSSI, Conseiller à l’Information et à la Promotion de la Santé (HIP)

Tél. (242) 551 52 38 / 655 85 50

Email. : biboussib [at] cg.afro.who.int