MSF Focus on Burkina Faso

The security situation in Burkina Faso rapidly deteriorated in 2019, as fighting between armed groups continue – currently the humanitarian crisis is one of the fastest growing in the world.

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.

Treating a dengue epidemic — MSF health promoter facilitating a women's club session, that brings together more than 259 displaced mothers in the Yennanga camp. This is an initiative launched by MSF to improve maternal and their children’s health. © Nisma Leboul/MSF

MSF in Burkina Faso

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) continues to respond to urgent medical needs across Burkina Faso, despite increased insecurity caused by ongoing conflict between the government and non-state armed groups.
Burkina Faso IAR map 2022

Our activities in 2022

A growing number of cities have been besieged by armed groups, sometimes forcing our teams to suspend or cease activities altogether. In 2022, after armed groups took control of Pama, Sebba and Djibo, where we support health centres and work to improve water supply, access via land soon became virtually impossible. Food and medical supplies could only be delivered by military convoys or by air, causing severe shortages and a steep rise in prices.

Health facilities in the country also face staff shortages, as many medical professionals have fled the violence. Threats against our staff and patients, increased checkpoints, and restrictions on our supply lines by armed groups forced us to close projects in Centre-Nord and Sahel regions in 2022.

Nevertheless, our teams continued to deliver humanitarian and medical assistance to displaced people and host communities throughout the year, focusing on tackling major health issues, including malaria, outbreaks of measles and other diseases, mental health and sexual violence, and supporting access to community-based basic and specialist healthcare. Our teams also trucked in water and constructed and renovated boreholes to address the severe water shortage exacerbated by the ongoing conflict.

Burkina Faso

MSF in Burkina Faso

Our activities in 2022

Highlights of our activities in 2022

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