Without preventive measures in place, the transmission rate of the HIV virus from an HIV-positive mother to her child can exceed 30 per cent. Through the Kento Mwana project, the Eni Foundation aimed to use preventive methods to reduce that to 2-3 per cent: from offering medical advice to pregnant Congolese women to providing access to free, voluntary screening. The project covered the Kouilou, Niari and Cuvette regions, which were also involved in the Salissa Mwana project [hyperlink a progetto Salissa Mwana ENG] The cornerstone of the initiative was an advanced laboratory dedicated to the diagnosis of HIV infection established by the University of Genoa at the Hôpital Régional des Armées di Pointe Noire, with Eni’s support, during the pilot phase of the programme. The project lasted four years, from 2009 to 2012, and cost €3,2 million.
