We are seeing an increase in violence against civilians, while the health system is often overwhelmed in areas with some attacks on facilities and healthcare workers.
Insecurity and indiscriminate violence have forced close to 1.4 million people in Burkina Faso to leave their homes. Many now live in makeshift shelters with little access to food, water or healthcare services. MSF has significantly increased our activities since 2019 as the displacement crisis has worsened. On top of the violence, the country faces massive healthcare issues such as malaria, food insecurity and poverty.
Data and information from the International Activity Report 2023.
Our teams work in Sahel, Est, and Boucle du Mouhoun regions, supporting hospitals and health centres to increase access to healthcare for people displaced by fighting and living under blockade. During 2023, there were a number of violent incidents, when the facilities we support, our teams and patients were threatened or assaulted, culminating in the fatal shooting of two of our staff by armed men during an attack on a marked MSF vehicle.
In Djibo and Pama, towns that were both still under blockade by armed groups throughout 2023, we supported health centres and ensured the supply of clean water. People in these towns continue to endure extremely difficult conditions, struggling to obtain food supplies and essential health services.
The worsening security situation has hampered access to these areas for our teams and other humanitarian organisations seeking to deliver food, medicines and equipment. Despite these challenges, we provided a range of medical activities for displaced and host communities during the year, including general healthcare, sexual and reproductive health services, screening and care for children with malnutrition, and treatment for malaria.
We also distributed millions of litres of water and supported the local authorities’ response to a dengue outbreak by providing medical treatment in the Hauts-Bassins region. In addition, we worked to strengthen surgical care by providing highly qualified medical staff and adding new units, including post-operative, intensive care and paediatric, to a medical facility that we are supporting in the region.
IN 2023
