Location: Diebougou, Western Province

Situation:

Burkina Faso has one of the poorest health records in West Africa and economic growth has yet to bring better living conditions for the population. The political will to create an effective health system is still lacking. Access to healthcare remains difficult for most Burkinabés-45% of whom live below the poverty line. Doctors of the World's (DoW) activities focus on preventing malnutrition and providing mother and child healthcare and dental care.

Activities:

The programme focuses on strengthening efforts to prevent malnutrition in malnourished children who are being monitored and/or accommodated in a Nutritional Recovery and Education Centre (NREC), by providing nutritional and medical supplies. An anthropometric nutritional and mortality survey, carried out in partnership with ACF (in La Bougouriba province), revealed prevalence of chronic malnutrition to be around 34%. This situation is linked to poverty and to problems with access to healthcare (distance, medical treatment costs, transport costs). Training on an integrated approach to nutritional care for people who are malnourished was also organised in Diébougou.

Outlook:

Bringing together the nutritional and dental projects, in partnership with the Diébougou diocese, will enable access to oral healthcare in Bougouriba. DoW will improve the provision and the quality of care for children (registering the NREC for local treatment for malnutrition, ongoing training for NREC staff). We will also carry out information and awareness-raising activities, as well as screening for malnutrition in deprived areas.