Mali

MSF is supporting the infectious disease unit in the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire du Point G in the Malian capital, Bamako, where we also run our oncology (cancer) programme.  Twenty MSF staff are supporting the ward, providing medical, nursing and hygiene control, as well as logistical and technical support. This added support has increased capacity up to 100 beds. COVID-19 patients receive free treatment in Point G, from oxygen, drugs and pain management through to check-ups and medical examinations. 

Oxygen is often an important component in treating patients severely ill with COVID-19. Our team is helping to improve the flow of oxygen in the hospital and ensure its delivery bedside to each patient in the new building.   

We are supporting triage at the entrance to the hospital, and suspected patients are able to be isolated under observation in the unit while their test samples are assessed at an external laboratory.   

Our teams are supporting the Ministry of Health with health promotion and the installation of water points for handwashing where population density is particularly high.    

We continue to prioritise care for our patients with cancer, and are aiming to minimise treatment disruption due to lack of personal protective equipment for staff, which would put both staff and patients at risk. 

MSF has also provided technical support for patient flow and infection prevention and control measures at Hôpital du Mali and Hôpital Dermatologique. 

We have provided training to medical staff in Mopti, where one person has been confirmed to have COVID-19, as well as for 45 medical staff in the Gao region.

In MSF-supported hospitals and health centres in central Mali (Niono, Tenenkou, Ansongo, Douentza, Koro) and the north (Kidal) of the country, we have strengthened hygiene and infection, prevention and control measures and set up isolation areas, as well as provided support for patient care, public awareness-raising and setting up isolation structures. Also in the north we have provided technical advice and other support to the hospitals of Gao and Sévaré.

Mali was regarded as a model of African democracy until the military seized power in March 2012 and the North fell under al-Qaeda control.

The chaos that ensued led hundreds of thousands of northern Malians to flee into Mauritania in search of safety.

Mali has since returned to democracy, but the effects of 2012’s instability are still being felt. Food shortages in the south are common, and many are not guaranteed safety from and access to necessary services.

The country’s capital, Bamako, is said to be one of the fastest growing cities in Africa, but many displaced Malians delay their return home, fearing violent attacks by armed groups and bandits.

Médecins Sans Frontières first began working in Mali in 1992 and continues to run programs in several parts of the country to increase access to healthcare for the most vulnerable.

Find out more about Mali