Public health: dress code to modernise health centres

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Extract from the article: The Minister of Health, Public Hygiene, Universal Health Coverage, and Insurance, Jean-Marie Koffi Ewonoule Tessi, officially launched the harmonization of the dress code for healthcare personnel in Togo on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, in Lomé. The...

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The Minister of Health, Public Hygiene, Universal Health Coverage, and Insurance, Jean-Marie Koffi Ewonoule Tessi, officially launched the harmonization of the dress code for healthcare personnel in Togo on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, in Lomé. The ceremony, marked by the official presentation of a large batch of professional uniforms, took place in the presence of the Deputy Minister of Health, Professor Tchin Darré, and the WHO Resident Representative in Togo, Dr. Hamadou Nouhou. The initiative is presented as a major organizational reform and aims to improve the visibility of health services, strengthen professional discipline, and enhance the quality of care provided to the population.

Patients, who are often in vulnerable or emergency situations, find it difficult to clearly identify the professionals authorized to provide care in many health facilities. The lack of a clear visual distinction between the different categories of staff can lead to confusion in orientation, delays in care, disruption to the care pathway, and difficulties in managing complaints and reports. In response to this situation, the government has embarked on a reform based on the introduction of a harmonized national dress code, based on a color system that allows for immediate identification.

The reform has three main objectives, which include harmonizing professional attire throughout the country, making it easier for patients and their companions to identify staff, and strengthening the supervision of practices and improving complaint management, in particular through a dedicated hotline.

“Professional attire is not a substitute for competence or quality of care, but it is a lever for securing the hospital environment,” emphasized Professor Tchin Darré, insisting on the organizational and preventive dimension of the measure.

This view is shared by Dr. Tsolenyanu, Secretary General of the Togo Hospital Practitioners' Union (SYNPHOT), for whom “the white coat remains a universal symbol of trust and authority, not over the patient, but over the disease.”

Reform as part of the modernization of the healthcare system

This initiative is part of the transformation and modernization of the healthcare sector. It complements the actions undertaken as part of the Universal Health Insurance program, the construction of modern healthcare infrastructure, the modernization of university hospitals, and the strengthening of the technical capabilities of healthcare facilities.

The health sector thus remains at the heart of government action, with an approach focused on people and the protection of the most vulnerable populations.

The strategic choice of “Made in Togo”

Another notable aspect of the reform is the local production of uniforms. The professional attire was manufactured in Togo by Benart Afrique at its industrial site in Datcha.

The company's CEO, Dominique Zotoglo, explained that the uniforms were designed to meet the requirements of the hospital environment based on four pillars: comfort, durability, professionalism, and health and safety. The fabrics have undergone antibacterial treatment to limit microbial growth.

In addition to improving the working environment, the use of domestic production contributes to local job creation, industrial capacity building, and the promotion of Togolese expertise.

Support from professionals

On the ground, healthcare professionals welcome the reform. Alaba Adjovi Délali, a state-registered midwife at the Sylvanus Olympio University Hospital Center, is delighted with this harmonization. "We are particularly proud of this dress code. It highlights the distinction and uniqueness of our profession. Every patient who enters the Sylvanus Olympio University Hospital Center now knows that they are dealing with a midwife because of her uniform. Patients no longer have to worry about who to talk to. They used to get confused, unable to distinguish between midwives, doctors, and surgical technicians. With this dress code, everyone can clearly identify the professionals. What's more, we feel very comfortable in this new uniform. It enhances our role."

Through this reform, the government aims to project the image of a more organized, transparent, and efficient healthcare system serving the Togolese people.

Raymond DZAKPATA