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Burkina FasoMSF in Burkina Faso, 2006/2007Field Staff: 111 Reason for Intervention:
Recent update: All articles on Burkina Faso » Ameningitis epidemic started in Burkina Faso in mid-February 2007 and MSF began supporting health authorities and treating meningitis patients in the third week of February. By the end of this emergency intervention, MSF had treated 1,500 people in Burkina Faso’s capital city, Ouagadougou. In March, MSF took charge of meningitis vaccinations in the Pissy health district in Ouagadougou, the most heavily populated district of the capital, where approximately 540,000 people were targeted for inoculations. The following month, MSF vaccinated the population of four rural districts: Manga, Po, Zabre in the south and Gorom-Gorom in the north of the country, representing approximately one million people. Decentralizing HIV/AIDS care Throughout 2006/2007, MSF continued to run an HIV/AIDS project in Pissy, where an average of 1,600 medical consultations are provided monthly. Anti-retroviral treatment (ART) has been supplied to 2,556 patients since the project began in 2003. MSF is working at decentralizing care for persons living with AIDS so they can receive treatment closer to home, and promoting patient autonomy through a community support approach. Helping street girls in Ouagadougou MSF operates a program for street girls aged nine to 20 years in Ouagadougou. Activities include providing treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STI) and HIV/AIDS, reproductive and obstetrical care, psychological support for victims of sexual violence and efforts toward improving their legal protection. Close to half of the patients seen have or have had a child, and the project aims to improve the health of these children by educating the young mothers about child health and referring children to health services. The project has helped approximately 300 girls since it began in 2005. MSF initially was only referring and accompanying the girls at public health facilities, aiming at reducing stigmatization and upgrading quality of care by health staff. Since 2007, MSF has been more directly involved in providing medical services to the teenage street girls. MSF has worked in Burkina Faso since 1995. |
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