A medical mission conducted with Shriners Children’s enabled the free surgery of nearly 34 children at the Cocody University Hospital in Abidjan, between October 5 and 10, 2026, according to a report published on Monday, October 12, by Ivorian Radio and Television.
The young patients treated notably presented with congenital malformations of the feet or hands as well as certain spinal cord conditions. The mission also organized specialized consultations and provided suitable prostheses to some children.
The free service covered the planned care and equipment. Transportation support was also provided to families coming from inland areas, in order to reduce the financial barrier related to travel to Abidjan.
The report announced by RTI exceeds the program presented on October 9 by the Ivorian Press Agency. Before the end of the mission, the AIP reported about fifteen planned interventions, approximately 80 consultations, and around ten prostheses. RTI then reported nearly 34 operations without detailing the progress of the initial program.
Specialists from the United States and Canada worked with Ivorian teams in the gyneco-obstetric and pediatric departments. The AIP indicated that follow-up after the operations should be provided by local health facilities, with teleconsultations for monitoring after the departure of the foreign practitioners.
This mission is part of a broader cooperation between Shriners Children’s and the Ivorian health authorities. On October 7, the Ministry of Health stated that three missions organized in less than a year had already enabled the care of nearly 80 children, several of whom had undergone surgery or received a prosthesis.
