Maternal health service use rises in three regions under Togo’s WEZOU program

Health

Tuesday, 03 February 2026 12:02

Maternal health service use rises in three regions under Togo’s WEZOU program

(Togo First) - A survey carried out in January points to a “very encouraging” performance of Togo’s WEZOU program in three regions of the country: Centrale, Kara, and Savanes.

The survey shows a shaped increase in the use of health facilities during pregnancy and a significant decline in home births, according to the Ministry of Health. The authorities also say the program is now well established in public health centers, with care-seeking behavior increasingly “well ingrained” among beneficiaries.

These findings stem from a supervision mission conducted from January 18 to 24, 2026, during which 18 health facilities were visited across the Savanes, Kara, and Centrale regions.

The WEZOU program covers a range of maternal health services, including prenatal consultations, laboratory tests, ultrasounds, and essential medicines before and after childbirth. The aim is to reduce out-of-pocket health expenses for households and encourage greater use of maternal care services in both urban and rural areas.

As of the end of September 2024, more than 600,000 women had been enrolled in the program, according to official data. Over the same period, more than 3.2 million services were delivered, including over 360,000 childbirths conducted under the scheme.

The supervision mission also identified weaknesses in billing procedures and data transmission. Regional feedback meetings were held to strengthen the program’s operational management. The health minister called for tighter control of these processes to improve the scheme’s overall efficiency.

Authorities view the mission’s findings as a foundation for further consolidating the WEZOU program, in line with the country’s universal health coverage goals and the gradual rollout of national health insurance.

R.E.D

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