Improving access to care for the most vulnerable populations
In 1 click, help us spread this information :
Located in the northwest of Benin, on the border with Burkina Faso and Togo, the Atacora department faces multiple challenges related to deteriorating security and health conditions. Benin is today the coastal country in West Africa most affected by jihadist1 incidents, which leads in particular to frequent population movements in an area with a high prevalence of malaria and food insecurity.
Since August 2023, in the TMC health zone (Tanguiéta-Matéri-Cobly) and in particular at the Dassari health center, MSF has been contributing to improving the health of the population, in particular by strengthening the management of malaria cases in children under 5, the leading cause of death, as well as in pregnant women for whom malaria can lead to serious complications. Nearly 10,000 children under 5, 7% of whom had severe cases, were treated, as well as around 800 pregnant women.
I had to leave Burkina Faso with 3 of my children to escape the violence. As soon as we arrived in Benin, one of my children fell seriously ill. He was suffering from malaria. I didn’t have the means to get him treated. I went to the Dassari health centre and my child was treated free of charge by MSF. I am very happy and relieved,” says a refugee woman.
Strengthening the capacities of health personnel and medical structures, particularly in emergency situations
MSF is also committed to improving the quality of care. The teams have organized training courses, provided medical equipment and essential medicines. Several key areas of the Dassari health center have been rehabilitated to ensure a safer environment for patients and medical staff. “Since MSF arrived, our ability to provide quality care has evolved considerably. Patients are more confident and our team is motivated. Thanks to the improvement in the quality of care and the provision of qualified medical staff, the attendance rate at the health center has increased from 67% in 2023 to 81% in 2024,” reports Roger Nambima, Chief Medical Officer at the Dassari Health Center.
At the same time, if the population and health personnel face situations that require an emergency response, the project teams are ready to intervene alongside those of the Ministry of Health, particularly following population displacements, episodes of violence against civilians, epidemics or natural disasters.
To this end, training sessions have been organized to strengthen health capacities in the event of a mass arrival of wounded people. Emergency medical equipment has been prepositioned in several health facilities, hospitals and health centers. For emergency situations that require rapid intervention by providing basic necessities or medical consultations, an MSF team is available. Recently in Gouandé, in November 2024, during a population displacement caused by an intercommunity clash, MSF provided medical support to displaced people and host populations and distributed basic necessities to several hundred people.
MSF expands its activities to other localities in Atacora to strengthen health services for vulnerable communities
Médecins Sans Frontières' commitment in Atacora will extend to other localities in order to provide crucial support to thousands of people in difficulty. In addition to the Dassari Health Center, MSF will support the communal health centers of Matéri and Cobly as well as the isolated dispensary of Pétinga to strengthen the quality of treatment for malaria cases in children aged 0 to 5 and pregnant women. In addition, MSF will also be involved in the fight against malnutrition, identified as a priority health problem in the area.
"By extending its presence to other health structures, MSF will contribute to broader health coverage allowing faster and more equitable access to care for the most vulnerable populations," concludes Songoufolo TUO, MSF Project Coordinator for Atacora
