CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: Newly expanded hospitals receive medical equipment
Equipment includes neonatal incubators
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
(MissionNewswire) Two newly expanded hospitals in the Central African Republic* received medical equipment through financing by the Canadian International Health Collaboration, an organization accredited by Canada’s Ministry of Health and Social Services for the collection of humanitarian medical supplies. Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, helped cover the shipping costs.
While the buildings for the dispensaries were ready, they still needed proper medical equipment. A recent shipment from France included two neonatal incubators, medical beds, stretchers, wheelchairs, storage cabinets, examination tables and other medical instruments. The health centers are overseen by the Don Bosco Foundation in Paris and are funded by the French Development Agency which operates under the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs.
A Salesian said, “With these new resources, the Salesian health clinics in Bangui will be able to expand their services and provide better medical care to the most vulnerable populations in the region.”
Last year, the Salesian health dispensary dedicated to Saint Artemide Zatti was inaugurated in the 8th district of Bangui, the country’s capital. Earlier, the expansion of the Salesian dispensary in Galabadja, another neighborhood in Bangui, was also completed.
The 8th district of Bangui is one of the poorest areas in one of the poorest capitals on the African continent. Hospitals are often far away, and many pregnant women cannot reach medical facilities in time for childbirth, contributing to a high infant mortality rate.
The Central African Republic is one of the poorest countries on the African continent — despite being very rich in resources such as uranium, gold and diamonds. It is also very unstable politically due to the regime changes and civil wars that have occurred over the last 20 years.
According to the World Bank, in 2024, approximately 71% of people live below the international poverty line, with 65.7% living on less than $2.15 per day. The infant mortality rate is among the highest in the world, and the most common causes are diseases such as malaria, diarrhea, respiratory infections and acute malnutrition.
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Sources:
ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)
Salesian Missions – Central African Republic
World Bank – Central African Republic
*Any goods, services, or funds provided by Salesian Missions to programs located in this country were administered in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including sanctions administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control.
