The city of Laâyoune is set to host the inaugural African Congress of Neonatology on March 27 and 28, 2026, marking a significant milestone for newborn health across the continent.

This landmark scientific gathering will bring together nearly 200 experts, researchers, and practitioners to address the critical challenges of neonatal mortality through a unified African perspective.

The initiative is led by the “Childhood, Health, and Development” research laboratory at Cadi Ayyad University, in collaboration with the Moroccan Society of Pediatrics and the Marrakech Pediatric Association. Organizers describe the congress as a major scientific event aimed at harmonizing African expertise to tackle both clinical and organizational hurdles in newborn care. The event features a strong continental presence, with confirmed participation from the heads of pediatric and neonatology societies in Senegal, Mauritania, Gabon, Mali, and Côte d’Ivoire, illustrating a burgeoning trend of South-South cooperation among healthcare systems facing similar medical priorities.