The country
Benin, a West African nation, is characterized by rich cultural diversity and a complex history. Located on the coast of the Gulf of Guinea, its territory features a variety of landscapes, from sandy coastlines to inland savannahs. Benin’s economy is based primarily on agriculture, although it is trying to diversify its productive sectors. Despite progress made in recent years, inequalities and challenges in economic development persist.
In 2022, Benin’s population was approximately 13,352,866, with a population growth rate of 2.7%. The population distribution is predominantly rural, with 50.47% of the population living in rural areas. Life expectancy at birth is approximately 62 years for men and 66 years for women.
Politically, Benin has gone through several historical phases, from monarchical regimes to French colonization to the current multi-party system. The country is considered one of the most stable in the region, but corruption and challenges to democracy remain. Benin’s history has left a significant mark on its society, characterized by a plurality of ethnicities and cultures.
Access to basic health services remains limited, especially in rural and remote areas, where infrastructure is poor and medical personnel are scarce. Infectious diseases such as malaria, yellow fever, and tuberculosis are endemic, and child malnutrition is a widespread problem. Maternal and child mortality remains high due to complications during childbirth and poor antenatal and postnatal care.
In 2022, the neonatal mortality rate in Benin was approximately 28.6 deaths per 1,000 live births. This figure highlights the urgent need to improve neonatal care in the country, where access to quality health services is limited and resources are scarce. The Paolo Chiesi Foundation, through the NEST project (Neonatal Essentials for Survival and Thriving), is working to address these challenges and improve neonatal survival in Benin.
(Source: data.who.int)
Benin in numbers
Benin in numbers
Our intervention
The Paolo Chiesi Foundation has been present in Benin since 2011, through a collaboration with the Saint Jean de Dieu Hospital in Tanguiéta (HSJDT). In 2025, the program was expanded to the Centre Hospitalier et Universitaire de la Mère et de l’Enfant Lagune de Cotonou (CHU-MEL), a national referral hospital for maternal and child health.
At Tanguiéta Hospital, located in the north of the country in an area characterized by high healthcare needs, the Foundation supports improving the quality of neonatal care by strengthening the skills of healthcare personnel, improving the organization of services, and promoting a family-centered approach. Special attention is paid to the prevention and control of nosocomial infections through training, audits, and the strengthening of hospital hygiene measures.
The program also promotes continuity of care after discharge through follow-up activities, including home visits, and supports the creation of a local perinatal network to improve coordination between different levels of care. The Kangaroo Care unit will also be expanded and reorganized, located near the neonatology department to provide more adequate space, encourage mothers to remain with their newborns, and improve the quality of care.
At the CHU-MEL in Cotonou, the Foundation has initiated a process to improve the quality of neonatal care starting from a needs analysis, which highlighted the high number of hospitalised newborns and therefore the need to reorganise spaces and care flows, strengthen the Kangaroo Care unit and consolidate the skills of healthcare personnel.
To this end, the program includes service reorganization, specialized training, and staff support, with a particular focus on Kangaroo Care. In the absence of a national referral center in Benin, the Foundation supports training programs at the CHU Treichville in Côte d’Ivoire, with the aim of supporting CHU-MEL in developing a national center of excellence for Kangaroo Care, capable of disseminating expertise and best practices throughout the country.
Our intervention
The Paolo Chiesi Foundation has been present in Benin since 2011, through a collaboration with the Saint Jean de Dieu Hospital in Tanguiéta (HSJDT). In 2025, the program was expanded to the Centre Hospitalier et Universitaire de la Mère et de l’Enfant Lagune de Cotonou (CHU-MEL), a national referral hospital for maternal and child health.
At Tanguiéta Hospital, located in the north of the country in an area characterized by high healthcare needs, the Foundation supports improving the quality of neonatal care by strengthening the skills of healthcare personnel, improving the organization of services, and promoting a family-centered approach. Special attention is paid to the prevention and control of nosocomial infections through training, audits, and the strengthening of hospital hygiene measures.
The program also promotes continuity of care after discharge through follow-up activities, including home visits, and supports the creation of a local perinatal network to improve coordination between different levels of care. The Kangaroo Care unit will also be expanded and reorganized, located near the neonatology department to provide more adequate space, encourage mothers to remain with their newborns, and improve the quality of care.
At the CHU-MEL in Cotonou, the Foundation has initiated a process to improve the quality of neonatal care, starting with a needs analysis. This analysis highlighted the high number of newborns hospitalized and the need to reorganize spaces and care flows, strengthen the Kangaroo Care unit, and consolidate the skills of healthcare personnel. To this end, the program includes service reorganization, specialized training, and staff support, with a particular focus on Kangaroo Care. In the absence of a national referral center in Benin, the Foundation supports training programs at the CHU Treichville in Côte d’Ivoire , with the aim of supporting the CHU-MEL in developing a national center of excellence for Kangaroo Care, capable of disseminating expertise and best practices throughout the country.
Our main activities in Benin
Training and mentoring of healthcare personnel in neonatology and Kangaroo Care
Prevention and control of nosocomial infections and improvement of hospital hygiene
Continuity of care through post-discharge follow-up, home visits and development of the perinatal network
Strengthening of neonatology and Kangaroo Care units, with reorganization of spaces and development of a national reference center for Kangaroo Care
We also work in
