A growing number of cities have been besieged by armed groups, sometimes forcing our teams to suspend or cease activities altogether. In 2022, after armed groups took control of Pama, Sebba and Djibo, where we support health centres and work to improve water supply, access via land soon became virtually impossible. Food and medical supplies could only be delivered by military convoys or by air, causing severe shortages and a steep rise in prices.

Health facilities in the country also face staff shortages, as many medical professionals have fled the violence. Threats against our staff and patients, increased checkpoints, and restrictions on our supply lines by armed groups forced us to close projects in Centre-Nord and Sahel regions in 2022.

Nevertheless, our teams continued to deliver humanitarian and medical assistance to displaced people and host communities throughout the year, focusing on tackling major health issues, including malaria, outbreaks of measles and other diseases, mental health and sexual violence, and supporting access to community-based basic and specialist healthcare. Our teams also trucked in water and constructed and renovated boreholes to address the severe water shortage exacerbated by the ongoing conflict.