DID YOU SAY ‘CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC’?

So, I am in Central African Republic (CAR).  Where I am exactly and why does MSF have projects in this area?

CAR, a small country of central Africa has no access to the sea and is bordered by Cameroun to the west, Chad to the north, Sudan and South Sudan to the east and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to the south.  Its capital is Bangui and its population numbers around 5 millions inhabitants.

Formerly a French colony, CAR declared its independence in 1960. French remains the official language (mostly for administration) however the population speaks « sango » in everyday life. The country possesses a few natural resources such as diamonds, uranium, and gold but the main source of revenue is agriculture.  The tropical climate alternates between two seasons – the dry season from November to April and the rainy season from May to October. The latter often causes many floods in the areas around the country’s rivers: Chari (north) as well as Ubangi and Mbomou (south).

Since its independence, the country has known many government changes, which, unfortunately, has been detrimental for the development and maintenance of the education and medical infrastructures.  Hence, the involvement of MSF.

MSF runs many projects in the country – MSF Paris, Barcelona and Holland each have three projects located mainly in the north-east and south-west of the country.  I am working for MSF-Holland and so, our current projects are in Boguila (north-east), Sibut (north of the capital), and Zemio (south-west). All require the distribution of health care either in hospital, in health posts, or in Outreach visits (community health), depending on the location and the needs of the population.  The medical care we provide varies greatly but we often see cases of malaria, tuberculosis, malnutrition and HIV/AIDS.

Since the last coup d’état at the end of March, the population has fled the cities and villages to live in the bush.  We must therefore readjust and re-establish our priorities in order to meet the medical needs of these people, especially the children and elderly.  Without easy access to a health care system, the inhabitants find themselves without any immediate medical care in the short and long term.  Some may even become abandoned.  Our hospitals and mobile clinics as well as the employment of the local medical staff allow the partial restoration of a health care system that, in some instances, can even be almost non-existent.

I hope to share with you, in the next few months, some of the situations that I will encounter in order to dress a portrait of the sometime precarious life of these beautiful people.

Thank you for reading me.

Janique.