Years of crisis have left the healthcare system in Central African Republic in shambles. There is one doctor for every 3,000 people, a nurse for every 1,000 and 37 percent of the population have to walk an average 10km to reach the closest health centre.
N’dele hospital in the northern prefecture of Bamingui Bangoran could almost be considered an exception. Recently rehabilitated, with one wing still not functional, the kitchen, latrines and a warehouse under construction, the hospital is fairly operational and has an average of 100 patients a day seeking consultations.
Due to frequent rebel attacks and doctors being targeted, the hospital remains short-staffed, with only four doctors and five nurses, eight assistants and two midwives.
Sophie Ndotah*, 35, from Djamassinda, a village 25Km from N'dele on the Miamani-Golongosso axis, walked for a day to reach the hospital to visit her husband, who was brought to N’dele the week before.
“I left my five children at home. I got worried when after one week in N’dele my husband did not come home,” she told IRIN.
“He has been sick for three years and nobody could tell us what was wrong with him. There is a clinic in Djamassinda but medicines did not help so I advised my husband to come here.
“I have never been to a hospital before. I was never sick and had all my babies at home.
“For the past three days I have been sleeping outside under a tree, together with other ladies, also here to visit their family.
“We are almost like a small family. We cook, drink, wash and sleep together here. And whenever we can, we go to the wards to see our loved ones.
“I had to leave my kids at home alone. My last child, who is five, is sick and nobody is there to take care of him.
“I couldn’t take them with me. I was afraid we could get attacked or robbed on the way here. I wouldn’t risk my babies’ lives.
“I just learnt [my husband] has HIV and my biggest fear is that when we go home, nobody will help us any more.
“I wish I could stay here, even under a tree, with my children, taking care of my husband. There is nothing left to go back to and nobody to take care of us back home.”
*Not her real name
cp/mw
N’dele hospital in the northern prefecture of Bamingui Bangoran could almost be considered an exception. Recently rehabilitated, with one wing still not functional, the kitchen, latrines and a warehouse under construction, the hospital is fairly operational and has an average of 100 patients a day seeking consultations.
Due to frequent rebel attacks and doctors being targeted, the hospital remains short-staffed, with only four doctors and five nurses, eight assistants and two midwives.
Sophie Ndotah*, 35, from Djamassinda, a village 25Km from N'dele on the Miamani-Golongosso axis, walked for a day to reach the hospital to visit her husband, who was brought to N’dele the week before.
“I left my five children at home. I got worried when after one week in N’dele my husband did not come home,” she told IRIN.
“He has been sick for three years and nobody could tell us what was wrong with him. There is a clinic in Djamassinda but medicines did not help so I advised my husband to come here.
“I have never been to a hospital before. I was never sick and had all my babies at home.
“For the past three days I have been sleeping outside under a tree, together with other ladies, also here to visit their family.
“We are almost like a small family. We cook, drink, wash and sleep together here. And whenever we can, we go to the wards to see our loved ones.
“I had to leave my kids at home alone. My last child, who is five, is sick and nobody is there to take care of him.
“I couldn’t take them with me. I was afraid we could get attacked or robbed on the way here. I wouldn’t risk my babies’ lives.
“I just learnt [my husband] has HIV and my biggest fear is that when we go home, nobody will help us any more.
“I wish I could stay here, even under a tree, with my children, taking care of my husband. There is nothing left to go back to and nobody to take care of us back home.”
*Not her real name
cp/mw
This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions
Share this article
