By Chibuike Nwabuko
ABUJA (PRECISE POST) – The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening maternal and child healthcare across the region with the technical handover of a new Maternity and Paediatric Complex at the Bafatá Regional Hospital in Guinea-Bissau.
The Vice President of the ECOWAS Commission, Mrs. Damtien L. Tchintchibidja, presided over the handover ceremony on August 8, 2026, in Bafatá, describing the project as a significant milestone in the regional body’s efforts to translate solidarity into concrete investments in healthcare and human development.
The project, implemented through the ECOWAS Regional Fund for Stabilisation and Development (FRSD), represents an investment of US$638,538.05, the statement released on X handle of the Commission on Monday said.
It forms part of ECOWAS’ US$1.8 million Direct Investment Programme in Guinea-Bissau, targeted at addressing the needs of communities in fragile areas while strengthening resilience and promoting sustainable development.
Speaking at the ceremony, Tchintchibidja reaffirmed ECOWAS’ commitment to building a more resilient, stable and prosperous West Africa, stressing that lasting peace and sustainable development could not be achieved without investing in people.
She particularly emphasised the importance of maternal and child health and the overall well-being of communities, describing healthcare investment as an essential component of regional stability and human development.
The new Maternity and Paediatric Complex is expected to strengthen the capacity of the Bafatá Regional Hospital to provide essential healthcare services to mothers and children in the region.
The ceremony was attended by senior officials of the Guinea-Bissau government, regional authorities, health professionals, technical partners and representatives of beneficiary communities.
Those present included the Minister of Economy, Planning and Regional Integration of Guinea-Bissau, Mamadú Mudjetaba Djaló; Governor of the Bafatá Region, Mustafá Soares Cassamá; Director-General for Regional Integration and Head of the ECOWAS Cell in Guinea-Bissau, Cristina da Silva Pedreira; and Director-General of Health Establishments and representative of the Ministry of Public Health, Evandro Ismael Carlos Pereira.
Also in attendance were Cristiano da Silva Pedreira, representative of the Ministry of Public Works, Housing and Urban Planning, and Abduramane Djaló, representative of the National Transition Commission.
The ECOWAS intervention is part of the regional organisation’s broader efforts to support communities affected by fragility, improve access to essential services and strengthen social and economic resilience across West Africa.
The organisation said the investment demonstrates its resolve to ensure that regional integration delivers tangible benefits to citizens, particularly vulnerable populations and communities facing developmental challenges.
Precise Post recalls that the handover of the facility, ECOWAS stressed, underscores the importance of sustained investment in healthcare as a foundation for stronger communities, human development and lasting regional stability.
