Aude and Pauline, students in public health sciences at UCLouvain, have just returned from Benin. They spent a month there as part of their dissertation, which focuses on analysing the prevention actions implemented locally against hypertension and diabetes.

Aude and Pauline, Public Health students at UCLouvain, are among the many dissertation students who have focused on Louvain Coopération’s projects. Their research examines the Adongo and Zanninon health mutuals, located in the Mono department in southern Benin. These community-based structures play a crucial role in facilitating access to healthcare for rural populations and workers in the informal sector. Since 2023, these mutuals have launched various prevention initiatives to combat diabetes and hypertension, including awareness campaigns, screening days, sports clubs, and radio programmes.

A Commitment to Public Health

"We chose Benin because we wanted to explore different healthcare systems and understand how public health is organised there," explain Aude and Pauline. Beyond their impact on health, health mutuals strengthen community solidarity in a country striving to improve its healthcare system.

The aim of their dissertation is to identify the most effective prevention actions and suggest areas for improvement. Their findings could help local stakeholders optimise their initiatives to better combat non-communicable diseases.

Challenges and Prospects

"The study was not without its difficulties. Conducting the preparatory phase remotely made it harder to understand how the mutuals operate. However, once on-site, the warm welcome and support from the Louvain Coopération team in Benin were invaluable in carrying out our interviews and analysis," they add.

This experience has also been pivotal for their professional futures. Pauline aspires to an international career to improve public health in other countries, while Aude aims to focus on projects related to nutrition and the prevention of non-communicable diseases.

Their work highlights the importance of prevention in public health and the key role health mutuals play in ensuring access to care for vulnerable populations.