Initializing...
In the presence of the Vice President, Damtien Larbli TCHINTCHIBIDJA, the ECOWAS Commission hands over to Guinea-Bissau the new Maternity and Paediatric facilities of the Bafatá Regional Hospital, constructed with its own funds through the Regional Fund for Stabilisation and Development (FRSD).
A new chapter is opening for the women and children of the Bafatá region. The Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on Saturday, 8 August, conducted the technical handover and symbolic presentation of the keys to the new Maternity and Paediatric Complex of the Bafatá Regional Hospital, a major health facility financed under the Regional Fund for Stabilisation and Development (FRSD).
This facility, with a total investment of US$638,538.05, reflects ECOWAS’ determination to translate its commitment to regional development into concrete achievements that directly benefit the people.
A facility responding to an essential need
In a region where access to quality maternal and child health services remains a major challenge, the new facility will strengthen the capacity of the Bafatá Regional Hospital and improve the conditions for the care of pregnant women, mothers, newborns and children.
The complex comprises dedicated spaces for maternity and paediatric services, as well as equipment intended to enhance the quality of patient reception and care.
Key project figures:
An investment in the dignity and future of our people
Speaking at the ceremony, Her Excellency Mrs. Damtien Larbli TCHINTCHIBIDJA, Vice President of the ECOWAS Commission, underscored the importance of this investment for Guinea-Bissau and the Bafatá region:
“In officially handing over the Maternity and Paediatric Complex of the Bafatá Regional Hospital to the Authorities of Guinea-Bissau today, 8 August 2026, our ambition remains unchanged: to build a region where every woman can give birth safely, where every child can grow up healthy, and where every community benefits from the dividends of peace and development. This vision will continue to guide the interventions of the Regional Fund for Stabilisation and Development,” she said.
The ceremony was also marked by the presence and interventions of:
who repeatedly expressed their appreciation to the ECOWAS Commission for this valuable facility provided to the community of the Bafatá region and its surrounding areas.
These interventions also highlighted the importance of cooperation between Guinea-Bissau and ECOWAS in addressing national development priorities and essential social services.
A symbolic ceremony and a gradual commissioning The symbolic handover of the keys was one of the highlights of the ceremony, marking the transfer of the facility to the national authorities.
Following the official ceremony, the authorities and partners attended a presentation on the construction of the complex, before taking part in a guided tour of the new Maternity and Paediatric facilities.
This sequence enabled participants to appreciate first-hand the scale of the investment and the conditions under which future beneficiaries will be received.
A particularly significant expected impact for women and children
For the women of Bafatá and surrounding communities, this new facility represents more than an additional building within the regional hospital.
It is expected to help bring maternal health services closer to the population, improve the conditions for receiving pregnant women and young mothers, and provide a more suitable environment for the care of newborns and children.
For children, the strengthening of paediatric services is also expected to contribute to improving the conditions for consultations, treatment and follow-up, while enhancing the capacity of the regional facility to respond to the health needs of the population.
By investing in maternal and child health, ECOWAS is therefore investing in the lives, dignity and future of communities.
The FRSD: investments that bring ECOWAS closer to the people
The construction of the Bafatá complex forms part of the broader interventions of the Regional Fund for Stabilisation and Development, established with the support of the German Government through the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
Through the FRSD, ECOWAS supports investments aimed at creating sustainable economic and social opportunities and strengthening the resilience of populations in fragile regions of its Member States.
In Guinea-Bissau, the Fund’s interventions reflect this approach, which seeks to address the priority needs of communities.
Following the ceremony for the Maternity and Paediatric Complex, the ECOWAS delegation, accompanied by all its partners, also visited other interventions implemented in the region, namely the automatic brickmaking facility financed for a youth association in support of youth job creation, and the automatic rice winnowing facility for a women’s farming group, both financed under the ECOWAS “QUICK IMPACT” project.
The 8 August ceremony thus gives concrete expression to ECOWAS’ commitment: to make regional integration a driver of human development and improve, on a daily basis, the lives of the people of the Community.
A maternity facility for mothers. A paediatric facility for children. An investment for an entire region.
In Bafatá, ECOWAS thus seeks to leave a lasting legacy: that of regional cooperation translated into infrastructure, essential services and, above all, better prospects for present and future generations.
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