Alarming rise in malaria infections in Kayanza province, Burundi

A Médecins Sans Frontières team in Gaharo, Kayanza province, Burundi, assessing and treating malaria cases. © Jean-Michel van Laere

Malaria is endemic in Burundi. In recent months, presence of the mosquitoes responsible for spreading the deadly disease have been on the rise in the northern province of Kayanza, on the border with Rwanda, as heavy rains are pouring in the region.

At the end of December, health authorities called upon Médecins Sans Frontières to conduct an assessment, as the number of sick patients was following the trend. Médecins Sans Frontières’ diagnosis was clear: incidence is high, which prompted the organisation to reinforce the response in the area.

Since mid-January, Médecins Sans Frontières has had three teams on the ground who run mobile clinics in six sites in three affected districts of the province - Kayanza, Gahombo and Musema. These teams diagnose patients on the spot with a rapid malaria test, provide treatment and refer the most severe cases to the hospital. So far, 2,000 patients have already been seen, 63% of whom tested positive for malaria, more than a quarter of which were children.

“Symptoms of the disease include high fever, body aches and headaches. However, this can quickly evolve in some patients into severe malaria with convulsions, coma and possible death. That’s why treatment within the first 24 hours is so important, especially for children”, says Goddy Efula Bomana, Médecins Sans Frontières Emergency Coordinator in Burundi.

“However, it’s quite remote here, some people have to walk up to 10 kilometres just to get the simple test in their nearest health centre. For that reason, mobile clinics are the quickest way to reach people, and allowed us to refer patients to the hospital.”

Distance is not the only barrier to accessing healthcare. Cost is also an issue. Malaria treatment in clinics and health centres is not free for adults, so people simply can't afford it. Poorly protected families, who often lack prevention means such as mosquito nets also adds to the problem. In the meantime, the public hospital  in Kayanza is overloaded, with more than 100 children in a paediatric ward that normally has a capacity of 40.

On the request of the authorities, Médecins Sans Frontières will increase the hospital's capacity in the coming days, and both are discussing free access to malaria treatment. The mobile clinics teams will also be doubled, as will be the number of sites covered.

Médecins Sans Frontières has worked in Burundi since 1993. In addition to its Centre for Obstetrical Emergencies in Bujumbura Rural province, Médecins Sans Frontières responds to medical emergencies in the country, as in 2009 when a nutritional crisis hit the province of Kirundo.