Transforming Sahel health systems: key progress 2018-2024

Transformative achievements in Sahel healthcare

Significant progress has been made in bolstering health systems across vulnerable communities in the Sahel between 2018 and 2024, with key outcomes detailed below:

• Expanded and enhanced healthcare access: In both Mali and Mauritania, fundamental healthcare services became available to over 5 million individuals, with women constituting half of this beneficiary group. This figure substantially surpassed the initial target of 3.65 million. Health centers within the designated regions of these two nations saw a marked improvement in service quality, attributed to upgraded facilities, comprehensive staff training, and refined patient management protocols.

• Improved obstetric care: Conflict-affected areas in Mali experienced a threefold increase in essential prenatal visits among expectant mothers, rising from 13% to 38%. Meanwhile, in Mauritania, qualified personnel assisted in 160,000 deliveries, exceeding the set objective by 20%.

• Enhanced pediatric services: Mali delivered 1.17 million health consultations for children under five, addressing prevalent illnesses like malaria, respiratory infections, and diarrhea. Mauritania achieved remarkable success, vaccinating over 200,000 children—three times its initial target—and providing nearly 5 million medical consultations for young children.

• Critical nutrition support: In Mauritania, 750,000 women and children received vital nutritional assistance, significantly contributing to the fight against malnutrition.

• Broadened access to care: By the project’s conclusion, 460,000 vulnerable individuals in Mali gained free access to fundamental health services. In Mauritania, over one million complimentary health services were extended to at-risk populations, including refugees, and 81% of targeted vulnerable households received financial aid to facilitate their access to medical care.

• Family planning advancements: Mali saw nearly a threefold increase in contraceptive use among adolescent girls, rising from 5.8% to 15.3%. In Mauritania, the number of women utilizing modern contraception methods surged from approximately 9,000 to over 240,000, far exceeding the initial projections.