“I am delighted to be at this center-it is a very important form of collaboration between our two countries that puts the person at the center. I have seen the level of excellence of the treatments; you only have to see these children to understand the reasons for this commitment. Dream is a symbol of the ties of our countries. Sant’Egidio,” he adds, “testifies to the very close relationship between our two countries. Congratulations and thank you: yours is a contribution to our two countries and to humanity.” (Source ANSA)

During the visit, Dr. Cacilda Massango, Coordinator of the Center, greeted the president by retracing the history of the DREAM program, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year: “Hundreds of thousands of HIV-positive mothers have had the joy of delivering their babies free of AIDS. But today in addition to AIDS we treat diabetes, hypertension, cervical cancer and many other diseases, the cure is truly a dream come true and this pushes us to new challenges, I think of the thousands of COVID-19 swabs and vaccination carried out even in the most rural areas of the country.” Concluded Cacilda, “Thank you Mr. President for your visit, here in Dream we are all a little bit Italian!”

The DREAM center in Zimpeto is located in the Ka Mabukwana district, in one of the most populous and poorest areas of the city, with its 350,000 inhabitants, where health facilities are totally insufficient. It is a multipurpose center that includes four specialized sections: one for the treatment of HIV infection and the prevention of mother-to-child transmission, one for the early detection of women’s malignancies, one for the treatment of tuberculosis, and one designed to combat malnutrition. In 2018, Pope Francis also visited it, meeting with patients and treatment staff.

Since vaccines against Covid 19 became available, the center has vaccinated its 5,000 patients, working health care staff and a large segment of the area’s population.