Central African Republic

Activities 

Ongoing political unrest and violence have resulted in a protracted humanitarian crisis in the Central African Republic (CAR). Despite relatively peaceful democratic elections in early 2016, the situation remains extremely concerning.

Amid shifting frontlines, thousands of people were killed, wounded or displaced as armed groups fought to take control of territory. Two MSF workers paid the ultimate price and lost their lives while doing their jobs.

Humanitarian needs are immense: in late 2016, 2.3 million people, or about half of the population, were depending on humanitarian aid to survive. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), one in five CAR citizens are still displaced inside or outside national borders.

Limited access to vaccination and sanitation means that easily preventable diseases continue to take a toll. Malaria is endemic and the leading cause of death among children under five years of age. Mental health needs are also great, with people traumatised by violence and permanent insecurity. The health system is barely functioning, due to a severe shortage of skilled health workers and medical supplies. This basic lack of access to healthcare has serious repercussions for, among others, people living with HIV (3.7 per cent of the adult population): CAR has one of the lowest antiretroviral coverage rates in the world.

In 2016, humanitarian agencies withdrew from CAR, due to a lack of funding, but MSF is maintaining its presence and teams are running 17 projects across the country.

Bangui Sporadic fighting and violence in the city resulted in dozens of casualties. MSF continues to focus on emergency services in the General Hospital and carried out 3,700 surgical interventions this year. The team also conducted 32,300 consultations in the predominantly Muslim PK5 neighbourhood, treating children under the age of 15 at Mamadou Mbaiki health centre.

In M’poko camp for internally displaced people near the international airport, more than 106,000 consultations were carried out in the MSF field hospital.

Read more about MSF's activities in Central African Republic in 2016.

Year MSF first worked in the country: 1997.