The 2024 edition of the NEST Partners Meeting, organized by the Chiesi Foundation, was held from 7 to 11 October in Cotonou, Benin. This important event brought together various stakeholders in the neonatal health sector, with the aim of improving collaboration and expanding the impact of the Neonatal Essential Survival Technology (NEST) model throughout Sub-Saharan Africa.
The NEST model to promote neonatal care
The NEST model is a pillar of the Chiesi Foundation’s commitment to reducing neonatal mortality rates by improving the quality of healthcare in regions where access to essential care continues to be limited, as set out in the Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 of the United Nations 2030 Agenda. This year, the event was attended by hospital directors, healthcare professionals and key representatives of neonatal departments from Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Ivory Coast, Central African Republic, Senegal and Togo, all united by a common goal.
Institutional Day: Promoting Dialogue and Collaboration
One of the highlights of the meeting was the institutional day, held on Wednesday 9 October, which brought together representatives of the Centre Hospitalier et Universitaire de la Mère et de l’Enfant Lagune de Cotonou (CHU-MEL) and the Centre National Hospitalier et Universitaire Hubert Koutoukou Maga (CNHU-HKM) , government institutions, including representatives of the Ministry of Health of Benin, the World Health Organization, the African Natal Association, the SoBePed – Société Béninoise de Pédiatrie and SIN – Italian Society of Neonatology. The sessions provided a platform for dialogue on the pressing issues surrounding neonatal healthcare and the collaborative efforts needed to address them.
A week of training and networking
The week began with an introduction and presentation by the Chiesi Foundation, along with briefings from partner organizations involved in neonatal care projects. On Tuesday, a workshop focused on Logical Framework , followed by a visit to the Centre Hospitalier et Universitaire de la Mère et de l’Enfant Lagune de Cotonou (CHU-MEL) , where participants were able to observe first-hand the impact of the NEST model.
During the institutional day, participants discussed the urgent challenges and opportunities in the neonatal health landscape in Benin and the broader Francophone region of West Africa. Prominent figures, including Dr. Aitchéhou Romuald Bothon, Chef de Service Santé Maternelle et Infantile of the Ministry of Health of Benin, and various national and international stakeholders, advocated for the improvement of neonatal care.
Thursday’s agenda included a workshop led by Dr. Ousman Mouhamadou, Study Coordinator of the IMPULSE project ( Improving Quality and Use of Newborn Indicators), focused on the importance of data in driving quality improvements in neonatal care. The day was rounded out with a training session on neonatal death verification, ensuring local health professionals are better equipped to analyze and improve factors that contribute to mortality rates.
Concluding thoughts and future directions
The meeting concluded on Friday 11 October with speeches by Dr. Rebecca N’Guessan Kouamé, representative of the Ministry of Health of Côte d’Ivoire, and Betti N’Gom, paediatrician at the Centre Hospitalier Régional d’Abobo, who shared insights and experiences related to neonatal health initiatives in the region. The closing session provided an opportunity to reflect on the progress made during the week and set the stage for future actions and initiatives.
Outside of the structured program, attendees engaged in team-building activities designed to strengthen partnerships and enhance collaborative efforts to move forward on this journey. The overall sentiment of the event was one of optimism, commitment, and a strengthened belief in the power of partnerships to make real change in neonatal health.
A step towards better neonatal care
As we look back on the 2024 NEST Partners Meeting, it is clear that the discussions and initiatives launched during this meeting are set to further the Chiesi Foundation’s mission of saving neonatal lives and ensuring quality care across Sub-Saharan Africa. The insights gained and connections created will undoubtedly pave the way for more impactful collaboration in the future. We extend our sincere gratitude to all participants, partners and stakeholders for making this event such a resounding success.
