In a region where surgery remains out of reach for many, ALIMA is leading a free campaign to provide care, train local staff, and restore hope to patients who have long been deprived of specialized treatment.

Photos by Steve Doulkon for ALIMA
First published May 27, 2025 by ALIMA

Access to surgical care, a vital challenge

In the northern and north-central regions of Burkina Faso, particularly in Titao and Barsalogho, access to specialized medical care remains limited. In medical centers with surgical units, the necessary skills to manage emergencies are not always available. Surgeons and anesthetists, who are essential to treat the most serious cases, are often absent from these areas. As a result, patients in urgent need of surgery are left without appropriate care. 

Additionally, there is another major obstacle: medical evacuations from Titao and Barsalogho are not always possible.

Faced with this reality, ALIMA, in partnership with KEOOGO and SOS Médecins Burkina Faso, has taken action. Their goal: to provide free surgical care to patients and to strengthen the capacities of local health structures and medical teams.

A surgical campaign to save lives

“In Barsalogho, surgery is not available and the security situation often complicates evacuations to Kaya, where specialized facilities are located,” explains Dr. Cissé, ALIMA’s on-site medical consultant. To address these needs, ALIMA has deployed a surgeon and an anesthesiologist-resuscitator, along with medical equipment, essential medicines, and logistical support.

Between January and March 2025:

• Over 180 consultations were carried out in Barsalogho
• Over 50 surgeries were performed there

The patients treated suffered from inguinal hernias, prostate adenomas, and complications related to pregnancy. Each received comprehensive medical care.

In Titao, the results have been equally impactful:

“In just two months, we have carried out over 100 surgeries. It’s a huge relief for communities who no longer had access to this type of care“

— Dr. Kolomso, medical consultant for the northern project.

Surgery gives Zoenabo and Rasmata a second chance at life

Among the patients cared for, some stories strongly illustrate the impact of these campaigns. 

In Barsalogho, Zoenabo Sawadogo, who is pregnant, went to the medical center with a surgical unit after two miscarriages. The diagnosis was clear: her cervix was too weak to carry a pregnancy. Thanks to the surgical campaign, she was able to benefit from a cerclage, a procedure that strengthens the cervix.

“My only wish is for this pregnancy to go to term“

— Adama, her husband

In Titao, Maïga Rasmata experienced an even more striking tragedy. Displaced from her home for five years, she has lost six children. Due to a lack of quick access to a hospital, her last delivery took place in an abandoned health center. Her baby did not survive. She herself suffered from uterine prolapse, which went untreated for a year. Thanks to this campaign, she was finally able to undergo surgery.

Building skills for lasting impact

Beyond emergency care, a key goal of this initiative is the transmission of skills. ALIMA has launched an ongoing training program for local medical teams, including surgical fellows, focusing on post-operative care and medical techniques.

“We don’t want our actions to be a one-off intervention. We train, support, and monitor the teams to offer sustainable treatment services.”

— Dr. Kolomso

Operating theaters have also been renovated, and stocks of essential medicines and medical supplies, including for blood transfusions, have been replenished.

This campaign was made possible thanks to the collaboration with local NGOs KEOOGO and SOS Médecins Burkina Faso, and with financial support from the European Union (ECHO). Together, these actors have made it possible to provide a concrete and vital response to populations deprived of access to surgical care. In both Titao and Barsalogho, this initiative has not only saved lives, but also restored hope for patients who felt they had no other options.

---

Watch this video by ALIMA about their work in Burkina Faso: