News
Opening of the Youssouf Issabré maternity hospital in Mali
The Youssouf Issabré maternity hospital in Sirakoro Meguetana, on the outskirts of Bamako, was opened in the presence of Alain Mérieux, President of the Mérieux Foundation, Ms Diéminatou Sangaré, Minister of Health and Social Development, Mr Cisse, representative of FENASCOM, and Mr Daha Keïta, Deputy Prefect of the Kalaban-Coro district in Bamako.
This new maternity unit, which was built with the support of the Mérieux Foundation and the Fondation Christophe et Rodolphe Mérieux, has been fully equipped and operational since November 2020. It provides the best conditions for caring for women and their newborn babies.
This project was introduced as a result of several assignments carried out in Mali, during which it was established that renovation work was needed at the Community Health Centre in Sirakoro Meguetana, which included a clinic and maternity unit in the same building. At the time, the Centre could not provide adequate conditions for the care of women and their newborn babies. In view of this, and in accordance with the wishes of Professor Ogobara Doumbo, the decision was made to build a new maternity unit, with the support of the Mérieux Foundation and the Fondation Christophe et Rodolphe Mérieux.
The maternity unit now bears the name of Dr Youssouf Issabré, the first director of the Charles Mérieux Center for Infectious Disease in Mali, who played a key role in developing the activities of the Mérieux Foundation in Mali.
The renovation of the old maternity building was identified by the Mérieux Foundation and launched in 2021 within the framework of the second phase of the project, with financial support from an exceptional donation from bioMérieux dividends.
Quotes
Alain Mérieux, President of the Mérieux Foundation: “We opened our first maternity unit in Sotuba in 2012 and then, in the interests of further progress, we developed Mother & Child programmes at the Foundation, alongside clinical biology operations to diagnose infectious diseases.”
Diéminatou Sangaré, Minister of Health and Social Development: “This maternity unit provides maternal and infant healthcare. Its development reflects the wishes of the Transitional President and the Prime Minister, head of the transitional government, to expand fair access to high-quality healthcare in the country.”
Mr Cisse, Representative of FENASCOM: “This new maternity unit will ensure improvements in healthcare for mothers and children, as well as better conditions for monitoring pregnancies […] to reduce maternal and infant mortality.”