The profile of urban healthcare service provision with a focus on maternal and newborn health in Grand Conakry, Guinea: Results of a 2025 health facility census

ABSTRACT Background: Rapidly urbanising complex ecosystems present several challenges to the organisation, availability, and accessibility of healthcare services. This study describes the availability and distribution of health facilities offering services, with a focus on maternal and newborn health services in the seven health districts of Grand Conakry, Methods: This study using primary data from a census of health facilities (June 2025). Finally, healthcare landscape was drawn up using the GPS coordinates collected, based on the boundaries of the seven including health districts. The census started with an existing list of 459 facilities and snowball sampling was used to identify facilities that were not initially on the list. We collected information on basic facility characteristics and GPS coordinates. Results: A total of 795 health facilities exist in Grand Conakry, with 564 facilities which were not on the initial lists, 104 were either closed, out of service, or refused to participate. The questionnaire was completed by 691 health facilities. The private sector dominated the landscape and was mainly concentrated in the Ratoma and Matoto health districts; with most facilities (63%) not reporting to the national health information system, in contrast to those in public sector (85.7%). 332/691 facilities reported providing childbirth care, and 132 of them (40%) offered caesarean section, while 87 (26%) offered blood transfusions. Conclusion: Despite the high number of facilities, geographic imbalances in distribution exist. Equitable access to healthcare in rapidly urbanising Grand Conakry requires strengthening urban health planning and public-private collaboration regarding ongoing rapid urbanisation in Grand Conakry.