1971

The Italian government passed its first-ever law on cultural, scientific and technical cooperation with developing countries, acknowledging the positive value of volunteerism. A new statute incorporating the ideas put forward at the Nyeri Convention was developed and approved.

1972

This was the year in which the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs recognized Doctors with Africa CUAMM as a volunteer organization authorized to carry out institutional functions in developing countries in order to promote development cooperation activities. CUAMM’s doctors began channeling their work into healthcare projects and programs that were now truly cooperative.

1977-79

After some deliberation on the role of so-called “missionary doctors” in international healthcare projects, CUAMM launched a new phase of its work involving country programs based on bilateral agreements between the Italian government and a number of developing countries – in particular, Uganda, Tanzania and Mozambique.

The organization thus put into effect its resolve to partner directly with local governments and authorities in order to implement extensive, all-round community development projects.

1978

This approach was well aligned with the Declaration of Alma-Ata of 1978, a milestone document in which the World Health Organization reaffirmed its conviction that health was a fundamental human right for all, and called for steps to be taken to improve basic healthcare everywhere, especially in developing countries.

1979

The Italian government passed a new cooperation development law.

1972 – Minister Aldo Moro, here with doctor Vallero, acknowledges Cuamm as organization fit to tasks about international cooperation