AFRICA
Côte d'Ivoire

The Republic of Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) is a coastal country situated near the equator. There is a high prevalence of tropical diseases and parasites. Infant and maternal mortality rates are very high.

In response to recommendations made during the International Conference on Population and Development in 1994, the government of Côte d’Ivoire, like many others, adopted an action plan that redefined the concept and role of reproductive health services.

In its effort to reduce the prevalence of health problems and to set the pace for socioeconomic development, the government adopted a national population policy in 1996 and created a central office responsible for reproductive health. The government also developed a strategic plan that emphasized primary health care and adopted a national health and development strategic plan.

Developing a plan to integrate health services
The Population Council is providing technical assistance to the Ministry of Health in the implementation of a large, four-year project that aims to develop an integrated and efficient primary health program to address needs related to reproductive health, family planning, and sexually transmitted infection including HIV/AIDS. The program will offer integrated services at the community level and will seek to decrease maternal and infant mortality and to improve reproductive health. The specific research goals will be to document the process, cost, and effectiveness of this integration program. 

The Ministry of Health selected the two districts of Bondoukou and Bouafle as pilot sites for the project because of their socioeconomic, geographic, and demographic profile. Bondoukou is in the northeast and Bouafle is approximately 40 kilometers west of Yamoussoukro, the political capital of the country.

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This page updated 24 October 2005

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