PROJECT-SUPPORT IVORY COAST

Country / Place

Ivory Coast / Dabou

The Ivory Coast is a state in West Africa that borders Liberia, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Ghana. In the south, a 515 kilometre long coastline stretches along the Atlantic Ocean.

The country has around 26 million inhabitants and is known for its diverse culture, which is characterised by over 60 ethnic groups. The official capital is Yamoussoukro, while Abidjan is the economic centre of the country. Cocoa and coffee are important export products, making the Ivory Coast one of the largest cocoa producers in the world. Despite economic progress, the fight against poverty remains a key challenge.

Dabou is a town in the south of the country, around 50 kilometres west of Abidjan. It is known for its historical importance as a former trading centre and its traditional culture. Today, Dabou is a regional centre whose economy is primarily based on agriculture and small-scale trade.

General information

The Ruedi Leuppi Foundation Ivory Coast was founded in 2005 in Zug, Switzerland, by Dr Ruedi Leuppi. The foundation is dedicated to setting up and running a urological ward in the Protestant hospital in Dabou to treat tuberculosis, sexually transmitted diseases, HIV/AIDS, and urological injuries. Dr Leuppi and his dedicated team are pursuing the goal of securing and further expanding the charitable development work in the healthcare sector in the long term.

Beneficiaries

The hospital in Dabou is part of the local health foundation, which belongs to the Protestant Methodist Church of the Ivory Coast. The Hôpital Protestante Dabou (HPD) was opened on 29th October 1968 as a non-profit healthcare organisation. It has a capacity of 109 beds and employs around 150 people, including seven permanent doctors and a pharmacist. The general direction of the hospital is determined by a 14-member board of directors.

Project-support

Project: Support for the Hôpital Méthodiste in Dabou

The foundation of Dr Leuppi has been supporting the Hôpital Méthodiste in Dabou for over 20 years with a team of doctors, nurses, midwives, teachers, and technicians. Numerous aid supplies have already been sent from Switzerland to Dabou - items that are once again providing valuable services locally.

In addition to providing material aid, Dr Leuppi, a urologist, travels to Dabou several times a year to perform operations and provide the local team with specialised training. The personal treatment of patients by doctors and nursing staff has been continuously improving, intimate areas have been protected and patients' rights have been gradually introduced.

The training of hospital staff should be further strengthened. The basic training provided by the state remains inadequate and core competences are therefore often lacking. The Foundation's teaching activities are greatly appreciated, and the training courses are gratefully received. To improve the training courses, didactic aids that are not available locally, such as pin boards, videos and PowerPoint, will be utilised and made accessible to interested staff.

There is also a great need for medical supplies (medicines, care materials, instruments, etc.). Thanks to donations in kind, some of these can be supplied from Switzerland. The rise in food prices is a major problem for the population. Urgently needed grain is no longer being delivered and the prices of vegetables and other foodstuffs have been increased.