Awa Prisca spent a restless night as her infant daughter, Maléyombo Mariana, suffered from a fever. Early in the morning, she took her to Sibut District Hospital, where many others had gathered following an announcement by Dr. Alain Doté about new medicine arrivals from Bangui.
Upon arrival at the hospital, Awa was attended to by a medical assistant who advised admitting her daughter for observation. The next day, Maléyombo was diagnosed with early-stage meningitis and prescribed daily hospital visits for treatment. Awa returned home reassured that her daughter would receive proper care.
The Central African Republic's health system faces chronic challenges, making stories like Awa's significant. Previously, financial constraints might have deterred families like hers from seeking hospital care. The reform of targeted free health care aims to combat high maternal and child mortality rates in the country.
Ndoumba Louise, a seasoned midwife at Sibut District Hospital, has witnessed improvements in healthcare delivery due to these reforms. "I used to pay for treatment and care for the poorest patients out of my own pocket," she said.
Sibut has undergone significant changes over the past decade with new facilities and equipment at its district hospital. Improvements include modern incubators and infrastructure upgrades such as solar panels and water towers to ensure consistent utilities.
"We haven’t recorded a single case of maternal or child mortality in years at the Sibut District Hospital," Ndoumba stated proudly. Dr. Alain Doté added that prenatal consultations have increased due to free services.
The hospital staff includes three doctors, two midwives, six midwife assistants, and seven female health assistants providing comprehensive care monthly to 1,400-1,500 patients on average—a rise attributed partly to mobile outreach efforts led by Dr. Doté’s team.
This progress is part of a partnership between the Central African Republic and the World Bank through the Health Service Delivery and System Strengthening Project (SENI-Plus). This initiative focuses on increasing access to essential health services with funding support from various international organizations.
Since its inception in 2022, SENI-Plus has facilitated hiring 300 skilled workers across more than 500 centers nationwide. It has delivered vital services to nearly 475,000 women and children while fully vaccinating over 101,000 individuals between October 2022 and May 2024.
These developments highlight collective efforts towards strengthening healthcare resilience in the Central African Republic—a shared aspiration for those hoping for improved national well-being.
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