Health...
Two different health systems coexist at Ouidah: one traditional based on the pharmacopeia and the other modern organized around the centers of health. The traditional healers are everywhere present in the Township. Every district has at least one trusted and well known traditional healer.
The modern sanitary system essentially takes its essence on the zone hospital and the centers of precinct health. This sanitary pyramid is reinforced by some public centers (Dondji and Degoué) and some administrative division centers. It is mainly, the internationally known centre of CREDESA established in Pahou, the Regional Institute of Public Health and some not private clinics. The public health centers are: O7 CSA, 01 CSCOM, 01 zone hospital and the National Center of Gerontology. Ouidah also has a Center of Social Promotion.
The most fluently met diseases are for example those of water origin, the malaria, the gastroenteritis added to the respiratory infections and the AIDS. The attending rate in the modern health centre is about 30 per cent. This weak rate is explained by the strong practice of the traditional medicine, the self-medication, the weak spending power, the difficulties of access, so forth and so one.
Security...
Because of its proximity with Cotonou (about 30 km separates the two cities) and of the elevated enough unemployment rate, Ouidah knows, at a very reduced rate, some problems of insecurity.
To cope with this kind of situation, it has been installed in the city a police station and a brigade of state police. But an advanced security station is also created in Pahou.
The populations also organize themselves in brigade of surveillances and information in the villages and districts to strengthen the public security action. Ouidah takes profit, in another hand, of the presence on the territory of a military camp situated in the second precinct and a forest cantonment in Ahouicodji (Precinct of Pahou).
You, economic operators, tourists, simple travelers, could circulate then in Ouidah, in a total security, without fear to be the object of hold-up or violent aggressions. It is recommended however not to circulate very late the night, in the zone of the classified forest of Ahouicodji-Fonsa.
