Foggia's local health authority (ASL) signs an "Alliance for Life" with Senegal: a protocol to reduce maternal and infant mortality.

A pact of solidarity and international cooperation for the protection of life and health. The ASL of Foggia has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Municipality of Rufisque Ouest , in Senegal, together with the non-governmental organization Solidaunia , the associations Il Vangelo della Vita , La Daunia per il Mondo and Africa United APS , with the aim of reducing maternal and neonatal mortality and improving health services in the Dakar region.

An alliance for health and cooperation

The agreement was born in response to a request for help from the mayor of Rufisque Ouest , who reported a still dire health situation: in 2020, maternal mortality in Senegal was 237 deaths per 100,000 live births , with a target of reducing it to 140 by 2030. Hemorrhages, infections, obstetric complications, and unsafe abortions remain the main causes of death, often avoidable with qualified and continuous healthcare during pregnancy and childbirth.

The protocol , which will last three years and is renewable, focuses on three main areas: – improvement of health services in Rufisque Ouest and in the metropolitan area of ​​Dakar;

– strengthening medical infrastructure and equipment ;

– training and refresher courses for medical and nursing staff. Exchange of expertise between Italy and Senegal

The Foggia Local Health Authority will provide its medical, obstetric, and nursing staff—free of charge—to Senegalese healthcare facilities, while the Municipality of Rufisque Ouest will promote training internships in Italy for its healthcare workers. A true exchange of experiences and best practices, aimed at building more equitable and resilient healthcare systems .

The associations involved will provide logistical and administrative assistance to Italian doctors, as well as linguistic and cultural mediation , facilitating visa and permanence procedures.

The first mission will launch on November 26th

The cooperation will take concrete form at the end of the month, with the departure of three doctors from Foggia on November 26 :– Antonio Lacerenza , director of the Maternal-Infant Department of the ASL Foggia;– Donatella Mescia , general practitioner;– Marilena Soldano , 118 doctor.

"This agreement," stated Antonio Lacerenza , "represents a virtuous model of collaboration between public institutions and the third sector, combining expertise and professionalism for a strategic goal: saving lives and promoting maternal and child health. Sharing knowledge and training between Italy and Senegal is key to building more equitable healthcare systems that protect life from its very beginning."

The Memorandum of Understanding may be extended in the future, also in coordination with the Directorate General for Development Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Health , to further expand international solidarity and healthcare assistance actions.

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