Africa

Burkina Faso

Food security
Health
Mental health & psychosocial support
Nutrition
Water, sanitation & hygiene

2020

mission start date

national staff

expatriate staff

635 000

people supported

2020

mission start date

national staff

expatriate staff

635 000

people supported

Context

Raising awareness of brachial perimeter measurement in Gayéri (Eastern Region) ©Première Urgence Internationale

The situation in Burkina Faso requires an immediate and sustained response. More than one Burkinabe in four is in urgent humanitarian distress. The deteriorating security situation is one of the main factors contributing to this unprecedented crisis. It has led to massive population movements and severely hampered access to healthcare, particularly in the East and Sahel regions. In addition, the loss of human life increased by 105% over the same period, from 1,361 civilian victims to 2,793 civilians killed. This increase is due to the complexity and scale of the attacks, combined with the military operations of the defence and security forces, and the decreasing respect for the status of civilians by those involved in the conflict.

Humanitarian actors continue to face major challenges in accessing populations in need of increasing and vital assistance in many sectors such as health, food security, shelter, access to water, hygiene and sanitation, and protection.

Our approach
Description of the mission

Première Urgence Internationale has been present in Burkina Faso since 2020, working in the East and Sahel regions. The teams help to reduce vulnerability in terms of health, nutrition, psychosocial care, water, hygiene and sanitation, as well as food security and the strengthening of livelihoods. They have also set up rapid response mechanisms to intervene promptly in the event of alerts in all the provinces of the Eastern region and the provinces of Yagha and Seno in the Sahel region. These mechanisms include a mobile clinic, advanced health posts and the deployment of health workers from the human resources reserves of the supported health districts.

Première Urgence Internationale
in action

Première Urgence Internationale’s interventions cover five of the six health districts in the East region (Bogandé, Fada, Gayéri, Mani and Diapaga), as well as the health districts of Sebba and Dori in the Sahel region.

Since 2022, Première Urgence Internationale has strengthened its emergency response in the East region by implementing a food and nutritional assistance project for vulnerable and displaced people, while improving access to safe water and promoting good water, hygiene and sanitation practices. Training courses have been set up to build the capacity of new health staff by coaching them on the priority issues identified.

In Burkina Faso, Première Urgence Internationale wishes to continue implementing the approach it has adopted since the beginning of its activities in the fields of health, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene, as well as food security. To this end, the teams are helping to strengthen the primary and secondary healthcare systems, so as to maintain a continuum of care in the structures supported. They also respond to the growing number of emergencies caused by the continuing deterioration of the situation.

Awareness-raising session on good infant and young child feeding practices at the Sebba Nutritional Recovery and Education Center (Eastern Region) ©Première Urgence Internationale

Tasting enriched flour during cooking demonstrations in Sebba (Sahel Region) ©Première Urgence Internationale

Medical consultation of a supported person at the Sebba Advanced Health Post (Sahel Region) ©Première Urgence Internationale

Medical consultation of a supported person at Clinique Mobile de Fada (Eastern Region) ©Première Urgence Internationale

Targeting food assistance people supported in Bogandé (Eastern region)

Dorly Legrand

Head of mission Burkina Faso © Première Urgence Internationale

“Our teams sacrifice themselves day and night to bring their support, their time and their attention to the most vulnerable populations in areas where access, comfort and security are extremely difficult. Thanks to their efforts, Première Urgence Internationale’s mission in Burkina Faso remains dynamic and innovative.”