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Aide humanitaire Humanitarian organizations are sounding the alarm as nearly 230,000 individuals have been uprooted in Burkina Faso since the start of the year, a direct consequence of escalating jihadist group violence. This dire security situation continues to severely impact children and their families across the Central Sahel nation. The Groupe de coordination opérationnelle de la réponse rapide (GCORR) reported that nearly 37,000 households have been displaced following 48 displacement alerts. This figure represents a sig...

The Republic of Mali has taken a groundbreaking step in the global fight against malaria by becoming the first nation to implement a hybrid vaccination approach, strategically aligning vaccine doses with seasonal transmission patterns. This innovative method, launched on World Malaria Day, positions Mali as the 20th African country to incorporate malaria vaccines into routine immunization programs, marking a significant milestone in public health. why this hybrid approach matters for malaria control in Mali Malaria transmission in Mali follows a distinct seasonal pattern, with the highest burden occurring between July and December. The hybrid vaccination strategy addresses this challenge by administering the first three doses throughout the year based on age, followed by seasonal booster...

Niger becomes first African country to eliminate river blindness The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially recognized Niger as the first country in Africa—and the fifth globally—to successfully halt transmission of the parasitic worm Onchocerca volvulus, the parasite responsible for river blindness. « Eliminating a disease is a monumental achievement that requires relentless effort, » stated Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. « Niger’s success in protecting its people from this stigmatizing, poverty-driven disease demonstrates the transformative power of global health initiatives. This milestone not only offers hope to other nations battling river blindness but also reinforces our progress in combating neglected tropical diseases. » River blindness, medically...

Mali’s bold step: introducing the HPV vaccine to safeguard future generations of women In a landmark public health initiative, the Malian government officially incorporated the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine into its routine immunization schedule in early November. A significant ceremony held in Bamako, attended by various dignitaries and international partners, saw Gavi and the Ministry of Health and Social Development underscore the profound importance of this launch. This marks a pivotal moment in the nation’s ongoing efforts to prevent cervical cancer among Malian women. La ministre de la Santé, le Colonel Assa Badiallo Touré, inoc...

WASHINGTON, June 28, 2024 – The World Bank has greenlit a 100 million dollar credit from the International Development Association (IDA)* to bolster Mali's efforts in enhancing access to and utilization of essential, high-quality reproductive, maternal, neonatal, child, adolescent, and nutritional (RMNCAH+N) health services. This significant investment also aims to fortify health emergency preparedness across designated regions.Operating under a Results-Based Financing (RBF) framework, the initiative, dubbed “Promoting Inclusive Health System Resilience for All in Mali,” or Keneya Yiriwali in Bambara, seeks to elevate the overall quality of critical health services. It specifically targets RMNCAH+N services by expanding coverage and strengthening various levels of the health system's infra...

Amnesty International has voiced deep concern following the enforced disappearance of Samira Sabou, a prominent Nigerien journalist and blogger. She was reportedly abducted from her residence on September 30 by masked individuals who identified themselves as security personnel. Responding to this alarming development, Ousmane Diallo, a Sahel researcher at Amnesty International's regional office for West and Central Africa, issued a strong statement: “We are profoundly troubled by the enforced disappearance of Samira Sabou. We call upon the National Council for the Safeguarding of the Homeland (CNSP) to immediately disclose her location and ensure her swift and unconditional liberation. If the authorities genuinely do not know where she is being held, they must launch an immediate investi...

The ongoing political instability in Niger and the potential for a military strike by the Economic Community of West African States (CEDEAO) have raised serious alarms within the Les Démocrates party in Bénin. In a formal statement released on August 5, 2023, the party's leader, Eric Houndété, remarked that the military takeover has placed Niger in a precarious position, while also attracting various opportunists looking to exploit the turmoil. Condemning the rise of military takeovers The Les Démocrates party has voiced its strong disapproval of any forceful seizure of power, regardless of the circumstances. They expressed deep concern over the growing trend of coups across West Africa. According to Eric Houndété, these political shifts are often the result of systemic injustice, the sup...

In Niamey, the President of the Commission Nationale des Droits Humains (CNDH), Maty El Hadj Moussa, recently inaugurated a regional conference dedicated to safeguarding human rights within the volatile Sahel region. The summit specifically addressed the security challenges faced in the "three borders" area encompassing Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. High-level attendees included the Deputy Secretary General of the Ministry of Justice, the Africa Director of DCAF, and the German Ambassador to Niger. Objectives of the regional dialogue Spanning two days, this meeting aims to educate stakeholders on optimal human rights protection strategies while enhancing their ability to use preventative tools against violations. Furthermore, the conference seeks to bolster the rule of law and governance...

Current Events Nutrition Malnutrition in Mali: a critical public health challenge Widespread across Mali, malnutrition represents a major health emergency for this nation of 15...

measles outbreak surges in Niger amid vaccination gaps19 may 2021related insights to exploreVaccination: protecting the greatest numberconnected initiativesNiger: pediatric care in the southern regionsNiger: support for displaced persons and refugees in DiffaDr. François Rubona serves as the medical coordinator for Médecins Sans Frontières in Niger. Since February, MSF teams have mobilized vaccination campaigns across multiple regions to combat early measles outbreaks. Below is an overview of the current epidemic situation in the country.current measles epidemic status in NigerThis year has seen a dramatic spike in measles cases compared to 2020. Official data from Niger’s Ministry of Public Health reveals that by the end of the first quarter of 2021, the country had recorded 3,213 measles...

statement as the 45th session of the human rights council concludes in the coming days, the world organisation against torture and its sos-torture network partners implore the special rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples and all council members to direct critical attention towards the peul populations of Burkina Faso. these communities find themselves ensnared in the intense struggle against terrorism across the Sahel region. since 2016, the peul people in Burkina Faso have been subjected to grave human rights violations, actions that frequently align with international crimes. the sheer scale of massacres in certain localities suggests a potential ethnic cleansing, characterized by their widespread, systematic, and indiscriminate nature. these incidents pre...

Burkina Faso launches nationwide polio vaccination drive in seven regions The Ministry of Health in Burkina Faso, in partnership with UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO), has initiated a nationwide polio vaccination campaign targeting children under five in seven regions of the country. The four-day immunization drive, running from September 18 to 21, 2020, aims to protect over 2 million children across the Plateau Central, Centre, Centre-Nord, Centre-Ouest, Centre-Sud, Est, and Centre-Est regions. This initiative follows the detection of a polio case in January 2020 in the Ouargaye health district, which prompted an initial localized response before the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted vaccination efforts. impact of covid-19 on polio vaccination efforts James Mugaju, Deputy Re...