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Burkino Faso: Thousands displaced in Dédougou after escalating violence in the Boucle du Mouhoun

26 Aug 22

"We got to Dédougou with nothing: no money, no food. Everything remained in Douroula, even our bicycles," says Habi (whose first name has been changed) from a health centre supported by Médecins Sans Frontières in the capital of the Boucle du Mouhoun region in western Burkina Faso.

The town of Douroula, some 20 km from Dédougou, was attacked by armed men on the night of 7 to 8 July, and like many of her neighbours, Biba fled that night with her family, her stomach in knots with fear, to get the children to safety. Since then, she has joined some 6,700 people who have taken refuge in Dédougou in the wake of the attacks that intensified throughout July in this region - considered until then to be less affected by the conflict and its most violent consequences than those in the east and north of the country, the epicentre of the crisis that has ravaged Burkina Faso since 2015.

Bourasso, Souma, Douroula, Sa... the list of towns in the Boucle du Mouhoun region that saw part of their inhabitants emptied last month under pressure from armed groups is long. Some survivors saw their loved ones killed before their eyes and reported extremely violent events. "Fear and shock are still very present, which explains why people are not returning to their villages, despite their difficult living conditions in the city and the desire to start the agricultural season, to return to their homes and fields," explains Bakary Ouedraogo, MSF project coordinator. MSF has been present in the Boucle du Mouhoun region since January 2021 to provide humanitarian and health assistance, in partnership with the authorities.

On their arrival, Hiba and her family were first accommodated in a school, then moved to the home of a relative who had been living in Dédougou for a long time. Although it is hard to live with so many people in two small rooms, her main concern is food: "We'll see about accommodation once our bellies are full. We have received three bags of cereals, and so far we have only one left. We are more than thirty people, supported by one family head," continues Hiba. "How are we going to feed our children? On an empty stomach, we can't sleep”. Worried, she tries to help her family and raise some money by washing clothes, but for the past few days she has been feeling too weak for this work. She has suffered from osteoarthritis for years and has difficulty walking. She went to the health centre to treat an episode of malaria.

Since June 2022, MSF teams in partnership with the Ministry of Health have been providing free primary health care and psychosocial support at the health centre in sector 3 of Dédougou. "More than 5,000 consultations have been carried out, mostly for patients who have recently had to flee their homes. As the malaria season begins in full swing, we are also working with the Ministry of Health to strengthen the care of children and adults affected by severe forms of the disease, with the opening of 40 inpatient beds at the Dédougou urban medical centre," says Bakary Ouedraogo.

Our teams also contribute to the care of patients who need to be referred to the regional hospital centre: around twenty patients, as well as ten injured people, have benefited from this support. A mental health counsellor also helps people to go through these difficult times, through group sessions and individual consultations.

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