Since 1997, the Community of Sant' Egidio has been involved in Guinea-Bissau.

From the very first mission we noticed how the situation of the people was very serious, especially from the health point of view. The Community decided to take over the management of the "Raoul Follereau" hospital which specialises in treating pulmonary diseases, in particular tuberculosis, in order to prevent its closing.

In Guinea-Bissau, TB spreads much more easily than in neighbouring countries. One of the causes of the steady increase in cases of TB is the high number of patients suffering from AIDS.

Therefore, this hospital " Raoul Follereau - Community of Sant' Egidio " also represents a precious aid against the most terrible disease that has struck sub-Saharan Africa. In addition, the hospital has always been a reference point for other countries of the region.

The Hospital on March 1997
before the civil war