The Order of Malta’s Hospital in Djougou, in the north of Benin, is a national reference centre for new mothers and babies. Inaugurated in 1972, it is the only hospital in the region with operating rooms. It has a staff of 200 doctors and nurses and 140 beds.  It also has a laboratory that serves the entire territory, playing  a fundamental role with its 70,000 analyses per year, offering prevention, diagnosis and follow-up therapy and in particular monitoring HIV patients and their treatment with antiretroviral drugs.

Franck Médard Semado, head of the laboratory for 10 years, says: “As a reference centre for mother-child care, our first goal is to prevent infections that can lead to irreversible risks for infants.”

The Djougou hospital is located at the crossroads between Togo, Burkina Faso, Niger and Nigeria, providing healthcare for the entire region. In Benin, Ordre de Malte France also supports ten medical centres in various cities and three dispensaries.

Finally, the Order of Malta’s embassy in the country supports its medical activities, particularly the import of medicines and medical equipment.