Burkina Faso has launched the construction of 55 new hospital facilities and 5 intensive care units to boost healthcare access
Burkina Faso has officially begun construction on 55 new hospital facilities and 5 intensive care units (ICUs)
This initiative is reported to be part of President Ibrahim Traoré’s Presidential Health Initiative (IPS) which seeks to better healthcare of the people of Burkina.
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The initiative government’s commitment to enhancing healthcare infrastructure and access to quality medical services across all 13 regions of the country.
According to the World Bank, the nation had only 3.2 hospital beds per 1,000 people as of 2020, far below the global average.
The new facilities are expected to support healthcare access in a country grappling with high mortality rates, including an under-5 mortality rate of 87.5 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2022, as reported by UNICEF.
The Minister of Health highlighted that the government has already implemented bold reforms to support this initiative, including allocating 12% of the national budget to healthcare, upgrading existing hospital facilities, reducing the cost of medical examinations, and acquiring advanced medical equipment.
This is not the first healthcare initiative by the president. He has already made maternity care free for all women in Burkina. He also introduced free surgeries in the country.
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