Health: First Lady Dominique Ouattara inaugurates the European Cancer Institute in Bingerville, a new source of hope in the fight against cancer
Côte d’Ivoire has reached a decisive milestone in strengthening its healthcare system with the official inauguration of the European Cancer Institute (ECI) in Bingerville on Thursday, June 25, 2026.
Presided over by First Lady Dominique Ouattara, the ceremony marked the opening of a state-of-the-art facility designed to significantly improve care for cancer patients and expand the country’s specialized medical services.
The event, attended by government officials, diplomats, healthcare professionals, and numerous dignitaries, represents a major step forward in the fight against a disease that currently poses one of Côte d’Ivoire’s greatest public health challenges.
In her remarks, First Lady Dominique Ouattara highlighted the importance of this new facility at a time when cancer remains a major public health challenge in Côte d’Ivoire. According to official statistics, more than 21,000 new cases are recorded in the country annually, resulting in nearly 14,000 deaths.
In light of this situation, Mrs. Ouattara commended the Government’s efforts to strengthen national cancer-fighting capabilities. She noted that the 2018 inauguration of the Alassane Ouattara National Radiotherapy and Oncology Center (CNRAO), the opening of the ECI today, and the upcoming launch of a new national oncology center in Grand-Bassam reflect the Ivorian authorities’ commitment to providing the population with high-quality specialized care.
For the First Lady, the European Institute of Oncology represents a tangible response to patients’ needs. Equipped with modern facilities and driven by a vision rooted in medical excellence and accessible care, the center will enable cancer patients to receive treatments meeting international standards on-site. “By inaugurating the European Institute of Oncology in Bingerville today, we are sending a message of hope to those who are ill. Access to treatment is now possible, with the same level of quality found in the West,” she stated.
Mrs. Dominique Ouattara also commended the ECI’s social commitment, which includes support mechanisms for the most vulnerable patients as well as a major training program for Ivorian healthcare professionals. The inauguration of the EIC holds special significance for the Children of Africa Foundation. The Head of State’s wife noted that the Bingerville Mother-Child Hospital, inaugurated in 2018, currently provides free care for 90% of the pediatric cancer cases it treats. She welcomed the new partnership between the Mother-Child Hospital and the EIC, which will further expand access to radiotherapy for children with cancer.
Speaking in turn, the Minister of Health, Public Hygiene, and Universal Health Coverage, Mr. N’Gou Pierre Dimba, emphasized that the opening of the EIC represents a major step forward in strengthening the provision of specialized care in Côte d’Ivoire. He noted that the facility would improve access to cancer care, reduce treatment waiting times, bolster national expertise, and limit the need for medical evacuations abroad.
Minister N’Gou Pierre Dimba highlighted the institute’s state-of-the-art equipment , including a Halcyon linear accelerator, a high-precision simulation scanner, and a modern chemotherapy unit, which will enable patients to receive treatments meeting the highest international standards.
N’Gou Pierre Dimba placed particular emphasis on the profound transformation of the oncology landscape in Côte d’Ivoire. According to him, thanks to the Alassane Ouattara National Radiotherapy and Oncology Center which already treats thousands of patients annually, the Bingerville European Institute of Oncology, and the upcoming opening of the Grand-Bassam National Radiotherapy and Medical Oncology Center (featuring a PET scanner and nuclear medicine equipment), Côte d’Ivoire now possesses one of the most advanced cancer care systems in the sub-region.
For the Minister, these strategic investments reflect the ambition of the President of the Republic, Alassane Ouattara, to establish Abidjan and Côte d’Ivoire as a center of medical excellence in West Africa. He noted that the ECI is already admitting patients from several neighboring countries, illustrating the growing appeal of the Ivorian healthcare system. “The ambition to make Abidjan a center of medical excellence in West Africa is taking further shape today thanks to strategic investments such as the one we are celebrating today,” he stated.
Also speaking at the ceremony, Mr. Jocelyn Akele, Chairman of the Board of the European Institute of Oncology, recounted the origins of the project, describing it as a tangible response to one of the major health challenges facing West and Central Africa.
Reflecting on the motivations behind the facility’s creation, he noted that many patients had previously been forced to undergo costly medical evacuations abroad or contend with limited access to specialized treatments. “The fight against cancer could not wait,” he asserted, highlighting that this conviction had, as early as 2019, mobilized public and private investors, healthcare professionals, technical and financial partners, and thousands of Ivorian employees who chose to invest their savings in this ambitious initiative.
According to him, the ECI is far more than just a healthcare facility. It is a project with a regional scope designed to serve all of West and Central Africa, with a capacity to treat up to 1,800 patients annually. Driven by a Euro-African partnership that combines international expertise with a strong local foundation, the institute aims to provide comprehensive patient care ranging from prevention to post-treatment follow-up while also ensuring the continuous training of Ivorian practitioners to build lasting national expertise.
Mr. Issouf Doumbia, Mayor of Bingerville, thanked the First Lady for attending the ceremony, which offers hope to families affected by cancer. He also paid tribute to the President of the Republic, whose vision has enabled the development of the town of Bingerville.
It is worth noting that the First Lady presented a gift of five million CFA francs to the people in attendance. The public also presented gifts to the First Lady.
With the opening of the European Institute of Oncology, Côte d’Ivoire is strengthening its capacity to provide high-level specialized care to its population while reducing the need for medical evacuations.
