Malaria remains a key priority for MSF in the country as a leading cause of death, particularly among young children. In 2022, our teams supported the Ministry of Health in providing care to patients affected by malaria peaks in Kinyinya and Gisuru, Ruyigi province, and also started implementing a home-based care approach for the disease in Ryansoro district, Gitega province.

When malaria cases started to soar in the Cibitoke health district in July, we launched an emergency intervention, as local hospital capacities were rapidly overwhelmed by the number of patients. MSF notably supported free malaria care and the recruitment of health staff in health facilities, organised medical training, and provided medicines and medical equipment, including safe blood transfusions.

In total, we supported the provision of care in two hospitals and 14 health centres in Cibitoke while also working with a network of around 70 community health workers to manage patients in the community. In December, when Cibitoke was also hit by a cholera outbreak, our teams responded by supporting care at the cholera treatment centre in Rugombo.

At the end of April, we closed our detection and care project for patients with lower-limb ulcers in the Giteranyi health district, Muyinga province, as the number of cases had significantly reduced. In 2022, we ran an operational research initiative in the Kiganda health district, Muramvya province, while working on patient management capacity reinforcement for local medical staff. The research will help authorities and other partners to better understand the causes and transmission mode of this neglected disease.

In April, we also ended our trauma care capacity-building partnership with Bujumbura’s Prince Regent Charles hospital, where we had trained medical staff in the treatment of patients with severe trauma. Beyond this facility, we also supported the city of Bujumbura in bringing together several agencies to reinforce the implementation of mass-casualty plans.