Parakou: surprise visit by President Romuald Wadagni to the Borgou CHD emergency unit

This visit without notice allowed the president to speak directly with health workers, users and patients admitted to this sensitive unit.

In the corridors of the emergency department, the head of state’s presence stirred strong emotion among patients and their relatives. A mother who had come with her feverish child said she was surprised and grateful: “I never imagined I would see the president come to my child and ask how he was feeling. He checked on us with great attention,” she said, according to remarks reported by Fraternité fm.

Another patient, admitted earlier in the evening, welcomed a comforting gesture that gave hospitalised people renewed courage. “When he stopped by my bed and spoke to me, it touched me deeply,” he said, stressing the unusual nature of this direct exchange with the country’s top authority.

On-the-ground assessment and support for medical staff

Beyond the moral support offered to patients, this surprise visit was intended to assess without filter how emergency health services actually function and to measure the daily realities faced by medical teams.

By stepping outside the usual administrative protocol, President Romuald Wadagni was able to gauge the logistical and structural challenges faced by staff at the Parakou CHD.

For the health workers mobilised every day, this direct contact is seen as a mark of recognition for their professional commitment. By ending his working tour with this stop at the Parakou CHD, the head of state intends to reaffirm the government’s wish to bring public action closer to the fundamental needs of the population and health professionals.