Mobile health, nutrition and protection team in the municipality of Gorom Gorom_Province of Oudalan – BURKINA FASO (Project 049)

Since 2018, the security crisis in Burkina Faso has rapidly deteriorated, the context is complex and volatile with many organized armed groups and an unstable political-military situation. The Sahel region is one of the hardest hit areas in the country, with over 500,000 internally displaced people. The province of Oudalan, located in the extreme north on the border between Mali and Niger, is particularly hard hit: more than 60,000 people have flocked to the capital Gorom-Gorom in search of safety and access to basic social services. As soon as a shock or attack occurs in the surrounding villages, people seek protection in the city. Under these conditions, basic social services are saturated and fail to meet demand. Some groups of people lack access to health and protection services due to distrust or lack of means. In the Gorom-Gorom health district, 9 out of 26 health centers are operational, of which 7 are CSPS, namely Kel-Eguief, Deiberi, Saouga, Korezena, Essakane, Oursi and Déou, and two hospital centers (02) CMU and CMA. 4 advanced strategic posts were created, each with 2 nurses, 3 midwives and 3 support officers; 80 SSAs managed by community health workers providing ANJE-U community outreach service, stress management, referral, vaccinations, nutrition assistance (screening of malnourished people, MAS, MAM), other (e.g., health care for the elderly , etc.): MAS, MAM), others (curative advice, common pathologies: malaria, diarrhoea, respiratory infections and the village midwives (AV) who monitor pregnancies through prenatal consultations and carry out assisted deliveries.

Several complementary actors seek to ensure as holistic assistance as possible to those most affected by the security crisis. However, the intervention is far from reaching all the most vulnerable groups and there are still isolated areas (newly displaced) or groups of people who do not have access to these different services (remote or saturated services). For this COOPI proposes to set up a mobile team for health, nutrition and protection to respond to the immediate needs of the populations newly arrived in Gorom-Gorom or settled in isolated villages, in order to provide them with an emergency response and facilitate the send them if needed.

Expected objectives:

The overall objective of the project is to improve the response mechanism on health, nutrition and protection in Gorom-Gorom Municipality, Oudalan Province, Sahel Region of Burkina Faso. Specifically, it will be a question of setting up a mobile health, nutrition and protection team that will travel to the sites of displaced populations and surrounding villages that do not have immediate access to basic social services due to insecurity and that have urgent health/nutrition and protection needs. The mobile team will move mainly in the villages of Kel-eguief, Deiberi, Saouga, Site B (Touro), currently saturated.

The direct beneficiaries:

At least 300 people in need of emergency protection, victims of gender-based violence or abuse and exploitation of any kind receive cash.

At least 300 people benefit from emergency health care (help in screening for neglected diseases, cases of GBV and mental disorders and basic health care).

At least 500 people are being referred to the nearest health centres, with transport paid for if needed.

At least 2,500 people benefit from ANJE awareness in emergency situations and group psychosocial support sessions.

Indirect beneficiaries:

At least 12,750 people benefit indirectly from the action:

- The circle of direct family members of direct beneficiaries: 12,500

- Health and social personnel: 200

- Local authorities: 50

Local partners:

COOPI Burkina Faso

Gorom Gorom Sanitary District

The Provincial Directorate of Social Affairs of Gorom Gorom

The social service of the municipality of Gorom Gorom