Africa is on a path of transformation, striving to enhance and expand its healthcare infrastructure to increase access to better healthcare for improved quality of life. The continent is challenged by a shortage of medical professionals and limited access to first medical aid in rural areas, highlighting an immediate need for increased strategic investment in healthcare infrastructure, training, and retention. Only 52 percent of African citizens have access to essential healthcare services. This challenge is especially pronounced in rural communities in sub-Saharan Africa, which, despite facing the most significant health burdens, often have limited access to healthcare.
In response to these pressing healthcare issues, various countries have embarked on transformative initiatives to provide comprehensive and sustainable healthcare solutions. These initiatives align with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and focus on providing solutions that enable access to quality healthcare onsite or remotely. By collaborating with local governments Mitrelli exemplifies these transformative initiatives by establishing healthcare projects which provide access to quality healthcare for people.
Mitrelli’s healthcare sector, Promed, has developed various key initiatives both in Angola and Cote d’Ivoire. In the Bengo province of Angola, together with the Angolan government, Mitrelli inaugurated the first of five state-of-the-art hospitals. This 45,500 square meter campus is equipped with the latest medical technology, including CT scanners and hemodialysis treatment, poised to provide a wide range of healthcare services. As a result of its advanced digital infrastructure, the hospital can offer a comprehensive array of treatments and diagnostics in a streamlined and efficient manner to about 500,000 Angolans. Assuring a robust healthcare staff capable of serving patients in 15 clinical areas, including maternity, surgery, advanced clinical laboratories, multimodality imaging, and digital hospital management, the facility is estimated to employ at least 1,300 people, ensuring a strong healthcare workforce.
Similarly, Mitrelli’s partnership with the government in Côte d’Ivoire emphasizes a shared vision of making healthcare more accessible, especially in rural areas. Through this collaboration, 345 clinics are being created and renovated throughout the country, with a focus on rural areas. As part of the Second Social Program and National Strategic Health Plan, this initiative aims to make healthcare facilities accessible within six miles of every village. By focusing on reducing maternal and neonatal mortality and enhancing malaria treatment, this project exemplifies a commitment to healthcare as a fundamental right. This venture is a significant step towards socio-economic rejuvenation, embodying the shared vision of government and Mitrelli’s commitment to health equity.
Additional Mitrelli healthcare projects in Angola includes international accreditations of medical centers like the Luanda Medical Center (LMC), and rapid-response field hospitals like those in Cabinda, Lunda Norte, and Cunene. In 2015, Promed managed LMC, a 16-story polyclinic with inpatient and outpatient surgical centers, clinical laboratories, and comprehensive multidisciplinary medical services. LMC’s focus on preventative medicine and advanced diagnostic equipment, including MRI, CT, and nuclear medicine, has elevated healthcare access in Angola.
The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 further emphasized the gaping disparities in healthcare access between rural and urban areas in Angola, resulting in higher transmission and mortality rates in remote regions. In response, Mitrelli’s healthcare and energy sectors collaborated to establish rapid-response field hospitals in Cabinda, Lunda Norte, and Cunene. These field hospitals, each covering 4,500 square meters and equipped with 200 beds, toilets, showers, and essential medical supplies, reduce pressure on existing healthcare facilities. Significantly, these field hospitals were designed for easy disassembly and relocation, a vital feature in a dynamic healthcare landscape.
Mitrelli’s work with the governments of Angola and Côte d’Ivoire have not only demonstrated tangible progress in healthcare but also illustrated Mitrelli’s holistic and practical approach to overcoming healthcare challenges by focusing on creating lasting solutions that generate employment and improve people’s lives directly, impacting both economic and social fabric.
About the author
Franck Darmon is the CEO of Promed International, Mitrelli’s Healthcare Sector
