Africa, “the black continent”, has been in history the land conquered and exploited by European nations searching for profits. This rich and at the same time very poor land has for decades been marked by conflict, internal battles and civil war. It is also the continent where missionary efforts are most concentrated, to provide economic and human support to a population on the edge of survival, which has to deal with rampant diseases such as tuberculosis, malaria, Aids as well as other less serious ones such as kidney disease.

This is the background to the initiative of a group of Calabrian doctors who opened a dialysis centre in Asmara, after an agreement between the Eritrean Minister of Health, Saleh Meky and the As.Me.V. association, which had been working in Eritrea for several years. The Eritrean nation is in 164th place of 182 in the UNO’s human development index and to make the situation dramatic, apart from the 35% illiteracy rate, is the presence of an ineffective healthcare system. ASMEV-CALABRIA (Onlus – non-profit) was established on 2-10-2009, and is a natural evaluation of the already mentioned As.Me.V, which places itself in line with its activities. This new subject operating in Eritrea has opened and runs the first haemodialysis centre in the Orotta hospital in Asmara, the only public treatment centre for haemodialysis patients existing and running in the entire area of the Horn of Africa. The project is called “Un rene per la vita” (a kidney for life), and it not only aims to provide economic assistance, which is expressed through a supply of highly sophisticated technology and relative spare parts and maintenance, but above all through training Eritrean medical and paramedical staff to arrive at having an autonomous treatment centre.

The dialysis centre is called “Calabria” and in will be opened in the first few months of this year. The founding partners and members of the board include Roberto Pititto, doctor specialising in kidney disease, who is president of ASMEV-CALABRIA ONLUS and responsible for this humanitarian project in Eritrea; it also includes Emanuela D’Anello, doctor specialising in kidney disease, office coordinator and Sergio Zanardi, press contact.

The story of the “Dona un rene” (donate a kidney) project
On 28 May 2005, in the department of employment of the Calabria region, the then department leader, Egidio Masella signed a protocol of understanding with the Eritrean Minister of Health, Saley Meki, in the presence of the Eritrean ambassador in Rome, Zemeda Tekle. The project momentarily ran aground with the resignation of Masella and only started up again in summer 2007 after many months waiting for institutional responses. During the summer, the volunteers from Asmev, who improvised as showmen, organised extemporary events in some coastal localities of the South Tyrrhenian area of Cosenza, from Diamante to Amantea.
The first event/show took place in Paola, Piazza del Popolo, where the German actress Gabriella Jonnhen performed as a singer.
Amongst the private subjects, the greatest participation came from the La Principessa tourist complex in Campora San Giovanni, thanks to the passionate support of the head of entertainment activities, Sergio Cuglietta.
The foundation of Beniamino Pulejo, founder of the Gazzetta del Sud newspaper, donated one of four artificial kidneys. In late 2007, Turismo in Calabria – Magazine participated in the humanitarian campaign, publishing a 2008 calendar “Castelli di Calabria”.
On 12 January 2008, the volunteer directors of Asmev, Gabriele Getmanò (presidente), Francesco Romeo (secretary general), Roberto Pititto (secretary for Calabria and project technical manager), flew to Eritrea, along with technicians Giancarlo Carravetta and Francesco Zappone.
On 21 January 2008, in other words one week later, the first dialysis was administered to a young, 11-year old Eritrean boy with acute kidney problems.

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