Health depends not only on the availability of healthcare services, but also, and above all, on how accessible they are. In areas affected by economic and social marginalization, access to care, prevention and health information can be hindered by numerous barriers, with particularly significant consequences for adult women, girls and children. To help reduce these inequalities, we decided to support the “Health-VAN. Health on the move in Arghillà” project, promoted by Medici del Mondo Italia ETS: an initiative that brings social and healthcare services directly to the outskirts of Reggio Calabria, specifically to the Arghillà neighborhood. Medici del Mondo Italia ETS (“MdM Italia”) is an organization established in 2020 that embraces the principles and objectives of the international Médecins du Monde network. The network consists of 17 independent organizations and, since 1980, has worked internationally to ensure universal and sustainable access to healthcare for people living in vulnerable conditions. In Italy, the organization carries out initiatives focused in particular on the needs of women, adolescents and children. The project was developed as part of a Memorandum of Understanding signed by Medici del Mondo Italia and the Reggio Calabria Provincial Health Authority (ASP), through an agreement valid until 2027. The initiative is being implemented in the Arghillà neighborhood, an area affected by some of the most significant social vulnerabilities in the region, including extremely high school dropout and illiteracy rates, severe malnutrition and obesity, neglected chronic and oncological diseases, mental health disorders, unintended pregnancies, growth disorders and insufficient vaccination coverage. To address these needs, the project includes the deployment of a mobile clinic managed by a qualified social and healthcare team, capable of providing healthcare support and prevention activities directly within the community. Thanks to our contribution, it will be possible to support: primary medical care; in the case of more serious health issues, integrated care in coordination with the Regional Health Service, helping people access healthcare and local social and health services; information, awareness and prevention activities, aimed particularly at children, adolescents and women. The initiative is designed to generate benefits that go beyond immediate healthcare support. Working with children, adolescents and women means fostering a stronger culture of prevention and care, while strengthening families’ ability to make informed decisions about their health. Through a community-based approach, the project also aims to build relationships of trust with local residents, identify needs that often remain invisible and facilitate access to available care pathways. For us, supporting Health-VAN means helping to bring healthcare wherever it is needed, tackling inequalities and promoting the right to care for people living in the most vulnerable conditions. We believe that bringing services closer to people is one of the most effective ways to build more inclusive and informed communities that are attentive to everyone’s well-being. Details Location: Arghillà, Reggio Calabria Association: Medici del Mondo Italia ETS Beneficiaries: Children, adolescents, women and families living in the Arghillà neighborhood Contribution: €115,000 Period: October 2025 – June 2027
