Monaco Collectif Humanitaire - 15th anniversary with excellent results
Published on 6 December 2023 at 16:53 - Modified the 16 January 2024 at 16:14
On Saturday 2nd December Monaco Collectif Humanitaire (MCH) celebrated its 15th anniversary in Dakar, Senegal. During the anniversary ceremony, a presentation was made showing the excellent results: 515 children primarily of African origin received surgery for heart disease, or sometimes orthopaedic disorders, in Monaco and in four partner countries. Madagascar, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Senegal.
During her introductory address, Ms Isabelle Rosabrunetto, Director General of the Government of Monaco’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, pointed out that “Monaco Collectif Humanitaire, which is based on the rights of the child, is the realisation of a wish expressed by Monegasque associations to pay tribute to His Serene Highness Prince Albert II on the occasion of his 50th birthday, and thus to celebrate his humanity, generosity and openness to the world.”
Hosting the ceremony in Dakar seemed the natural choice as operations have been funded since 2019 in four African healthcare centres supported by the Chaîne de l’Espoir. These centres have all benefitted from public and/or private support from Monaco (training, construction/equipment). The centres concerned are: the André Festoc Centre for Paediatric Cardiology in Bamako, Mali, the Antananarivo Military Hospital in Madagascar, the Tingandogo University Hospital in Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso, and the Cuomo Centre for Paediatric Cardiology in Dakar, Senegal.
During the celebrations, a memorandum of understanding was signed between MCH, represented by the associations Children & Future, the Monaco Red Cross, Monaco Aide et Présence, Kiwanis Monaco, AMADE and the Chaîne de l’Espoir, in order to strengthen cooperation initiated in 2019. This partnership has already funded over 80 operations for children in the four centres mentioned above, where some surgical procedures are carried out in full autonomy by local teams. Professor Alain Deloche, founder of the Chaîne de l’Espoir, stated: “Our ties with Monaco Collectif Humanitaire are invaluable for the medical teams and all the children saved”.
During the ceremony, testimonials from children who underwent surgery, their parents, doctors, and local correspondents came to showcase the remarkable work achieved in Monaco and partner countries over the last 15 years giving hope and a new lease of life to these 515 children.
Monaco Collectif Humanitaire’s Goodwill Ambassador, the footballer and world champion Olivier Giroud, also provided a testimonial via video : “I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Professor Ciss and the entire medical team at the Cuomo Centre for Paediatric Cardiology. I hope one day to visit your beautiful country to meet you and see the work you have accomplished on site. (…) What fantastic results! Well done everyone and thank you for this wonderful medical and human adventure, a support network which must continue to thrive”.