Burkina Faso's Prime Minister Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouédraogo has inaugurated 18 health and social welfare centers and 49 local health posts in communities, the government announced.
The new centers, established under a project to strengthen primary healthcare, are located in remote areas of the Nazinon, Gourma, Tannounyan, and Giriko regions. They include a clinic, a maternity ward, a pharmacy, a kitchen, and shelters. In rural areas, two residential buildings have also been constructed to improve living and working conditions for medical staff.
"Our goal is to bring medical care, both routine and specialized, closer to people wherever they may be. Each center opened represents a concrete response to the needs of the population," he stated.
According to the prime minister, the new facilities will significantly improve access to healthcare, particularly for pregnant women, children, and those living in remote areas. Ouédraogo praised the builders' contribution to the development of the public health system and thanked healthcare workers for their "devotion to serving the people."
Minister of Health Robert Lucien Jean-Claude Kargougou noted that the government is working on the entire healthcare system, starting with on-the-ground assistance. He specified that this infrastructure will serve more than 150,000 people and reduce inequality in access to healthcare.
Earlier in June, Burkina Faso's government approved the allocation of nearly $44 million for the construction of medical infrastructure and the purchase of medical and technical equipment.