First Lady Gabriela de Bukele, alongside Italian Ambassador Paolo Rozo, has launched a new international cooperation project aimed at reducing maternal and infant mortality in El Salvador. The initiative, developed in collaboration with the Government of Italy, supports the implementation of the «Born with Care» (Nacer con Cariño) law and focuses on strengthening fetal medicine, improving prenatal diagnostics, and enhancing neonatal care across the country.
The project will be implemented over a three-year period and includes the modernization of maternity and neonatal care units in six public hospitals, as well as the training of Salvadoran medical professionals through short- and long-term internships in Italy.
“Thanks to allies like the Italian government, we are closing gaps and transforming challenges into opportunities,” stated First Lady Gabriela de Bukele. “I thank the professionals who responded to the call and reaffirm their commitment to their vocation every day.”
The initiative also aims to improve the early detection of congenital anomalies, enhance care for premature infants, and promote a more compassionate, human-centered approach to maternal and newborn health.
Ambassador Rozo emphasized the First Lady’s leadership in forging this alliance, which began when she was invited to present El Salvador’s maternal health reforms at the San Matteo Polyclinic in Pavia, Italy.
“We want this project to be more than just a technical response,” said Ambassador Rozo. “We aspire for it to be a tool for transformation to build a more humane and fair healthcare system, where quality of care is combined with respect for dignity.”
The cooperation began last year with training programs in morphological ultrasound, cytogenetics, and critical care nursing for newborns, reinforcing the long-term goal of building professional capacity and improving healthcare outcomes nationwide.