Healthcare in Togo

In January 2019, City, University of London is seeking to roll out a two-year healthcare development project which aims to upskill midwife trainers and senior nurses in Togo. The project intends to improve healthcare for future mothers and babies in the West African nation.

Togo is one of the smallest and poorest countries in Africa, with over 80 per cent of the rural population falling below the poverty line of $2 a day. A significant shortage in health workers and lack of training has led to a high infant and maternal mortality rate. In a country of over seven million people, there are only 1,500 midwives.

Based on previous visits to Togo and existing partnerships with Togo’s Ministry of Health and educational establishments in the Togolese cities of Lomé and Kara, City aims to improve the level of teaching in Togo. This would be achieved through adapting City’s lecturer preparation programme specifically for academics in Togo and delivering reciprocal training visits between Togo and UK staff to observe teaching and clinical practice. This will enable Togolese nurses and midwives to improve their skills and for City students to learn about intercultural midwifery practices.

There is an urgent need to improve the quality of care, make a difference and save the lives of future mothers and their newborn babies. We hope to make this a reality for hundreds of women in Togo now and in the future.