On the 1 and 2 October, UNHCR organized a health workshop, which involved the refugees, governmental health authorities and NGO partners to discuss and debate how to improve the health care and medical services provided to refugees as well as to host communities neighboring refugee sites in Burkina Faso. The workshop also focused on defining a strategy on improving the response to HIV/AIDS as well as reinforcing the coordination among the various health partners working in the field.

Participants of the workshop included the elected refugee leaders of Goudoubo, Mentao and Sag-nioniogo, the National Health Delegates, the Permanent Secretariat for the Eradication of HIV/AIDS of the Presidency of Burkina Faso, representatives of the National Programme Against HIV/AIDS. During the workshop each of the UNHCR health partners presented their work as well as challenges they faced. These included: the French Red Cross, the Centre de Support en Santé Internationale (CSSI), Médicos del Mundo (Spain), Médecins du Monde (France), Save the Children and CREDO.

According to Dr. Kayembe, Health Officer in UNHCR, “much needs to be done to improve the health services for refugees, especially in terms of prevention of HIV/AIDS, which remains a tabou subject.”

At the end of the workshop, the main recommendations were: 1) Improve existing SOPs for medical referrals; 2) strengthen the response mechanism for prevention and identification of HIV/AIDS based on community-participation; 3) Improve coordination with the various Direction of Regional Health, among others.

Fore more info read: “Le HCR se penche sur la santé des réfugiés au Burkina 1 Octobre 2013, Fasozine”
http://fasozine.com/index.php/actualite/10867-le-hcr-se-penche-sur-la-sante-des-refugies-au-burkina