Dakar hosted the annual regional meeting on the integration of maternal and child health on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, under the auspices of the Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene. The meeting focused on the theme: "Scaling up the integration of FPPP/SMNI/Nutrition: acceleration strategies for achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)."

This sixth edition brought together more than 80 participants from more than 15 countries, who came to exchange views on the commitments of States, the role of technical and financial partners, and the monitoring mechanisms to measure progress towards the SDGs by 2030.

A priority for developing countries

Director of Maternal and Child Health (DSME), Dr. Ahmada Doukouré, recalled that the health of mothers, newborns, children and adolescents is a major priority for developing countries.

"Significant progress has been made in reducing maternal, neonatal and infant mortality. However, further efforts are needed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals," he stressed.

According to him, the World Health Organization (WHO) strongly recommends the integration of postpartum family planning (PPFP) into maternal, neonatal, infant and nutrition health services, a strategy considered effective in significantly reducing maternal mortality.

Senegal committed to scaling up

Implemented in West Africa since 2017, the PFPP strategy began in Senegal in 2019 at the Touba health district level. Today, the country is engaged in a phase of nationwide rollout.

“In 2019, we only had one health district. In 2023, we had 43 districts. In 2025, we have 52 districts with the goal of covering all 119 health districts by December 2026,” announced Dr. Doukouré.

This dynamic is part of the new government's national development strategy, particularly through the flagship project to eliminate avoidable maternal, neonatal and infant deaths, with an emphasis on domestic financing, support from partners and the involvement of local authorities and civil society.

Pooling efforts and sharing best practices

The main objective of this regional meeting is to share good practices, identify bottlenecks hindering scaling up and develop a regional roadmap to accelerate the achievement of the SDGs.

The integration of the PFPP makes it possible in particular to reduce "missed opportunities" by offering women family planning services during postnatal consultations or vaccination sessions while optimizing resources in a global context marked by financial constraints.

Senegal, a model in the sub-region

FP2030 Regional Director for North, West and Central Africa, Dr. Alain EM Damiba, praised the progress of Senegal, described as a leading country among the Francophone states supported by the coalition.

"It is no coincidence that we are in Dakar. Senegal is very advanced in scaling up PFPP/SMNI/Nutrition integration, with an integration rate of over 60%. We are here to learn from the Senegalese experience and replicate it in other countries of the sub-region," he said.

Four years before the final evaluation of the SDGs, this regional meeting is intended as a strategic lever to strengthen maternal and child health policies in West Africa and beyond.