Rutana : a worrying health crisis on the Giharo refugee site

The Giharo refugee site, located in Rutana province, in southeast Burundi, is in the grip of a serious health crisis. The local health center, crucial for this vulnerable population, is struggling to meet the needs of patients in emergency situations, particularly pregnant women.

INFO SOS Médias Burundi

The lack of ambulances in particular is a crucial problem.

Faced with the lack of ambulances, pregnant women have to resort to borrowing motorbikes to get to the Nyagahara health center or to the Rutana hospital in the event of complications. This solution, although necessary, is dangerous due to the poor state of roads.

Testimonies collected illustrate the seriousness of the situation. A woman who recently gave birth recounts, “When I felt my first contractions, I was terrified. Riding a motorbike on these roads is dangerous, but I had no other choice. By the grace of God, I was saved and so was my baby.” Another woman who was seven months pregnant shared a similar experience, “The jolts on the road were unbearable. We need ambulances to save our lives and those of our children.”

These perilous journeys have already cost the lives of three newborns, who died due to inadequate transport conditions.

The issue of medical costs

In addition to the risks associated with transport, pregnant women and other patients face often prohibitive medical costs. Many of them live in extreme poverty, which further complicates their access to care.

Other health challenges include influenza, malaria and shortage of medicines

The current rainy season is worsening the health situation on the site. Cases of influenza and malaria are increasing alarmingly. Refugees are also facing an acute shortage of medicines. Nurses, already few in number, are often absent, making access to care even more difficult.

Consultations often amount to a few tablets, as a 30-year-old woman who recently arrived testifies, “I had diarrhoea. After hours of waiting, I was given four tablets of metronidazole. I went home without knowing how to cure myself.” A man who has been at the site for six months adds, “I went to the health centre to treat my malaria, but there were no medicines available.”

A call to action

According to a member of the refugee representatives’ committee, the situation is critical, “We are not only short of medicines, but also of ambulances for urgent cases. We call on the UNHCR and its partners to act before it is too late. Refugees are suffering. We need qualified medical staff and safe transport to access care.”

A difficult context

It should be recalled that the first convoy of refugees was transferred last April from the Cishemere transit center in Cibitoke province to the Giharo site. Today, more than a thousand refugees, mostly from Kivu in the DRC, live there. These populations are fleeing persistent conflicts in a region undermined by the presence of multiple armed groups.

This health crisis at the Giharo site calls for an urgent and coordinated response to prevent new tragedies. Refugees, already tested by exile, need concrete support to access decent health care.

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Congolese refugees at a water point in the Musasa camp in north Burundi (SOS Médias Burundi)