MSF Raises Concern Over Lack Of Access To Assist Needy Persons In Parts Of CAR

The international humanitarian non-governmental organisation, Medecins sans frontieres (@MSF), has expressed concern over its inability to access certain zones in the Central African Republic where humanitarian assistance is in dire need.

“There are certain areas where it is not yet possible for Medecins sans frontieres to go to. We are talking here of areas such as Mbaiki, Boali, Damara where we could go to before the beginning of the crisis but now have become zones which are so militarized and difficult to access and we cannot succeed to go reinforce the health needs in those zones. 

“And that equally refers to frontlines which have become very very difficult to cross in order to go to other zones where there is also big demand, where there are several displaced persons, ” Sylvain Grouix, the official in-charge of MSF operations, said.

Within the past several weeks, fighting between rebel groups and the Central African national army assisted by Russian and Rwandan mercenaries has spread to different regions of the country provoking massive displacement of persons.

 It has thus become very difficult to take health care and food supplies to the bush, far from health centres.

“We are left with children who can be affected by malaria and who can be treated in a very simple way but whose situations become serious just because of the lack of access to health care. 

“There are women who give birth in the open air in deplorable conditions. That is very preoccupying to us everyday,” the MSF official said.

 The consequences of this precarious situation are already being felt right in the national capital, Bangui. 

The reduction in the number of transport vehicles for fear of provoking tensions already has an impact on movements towards health centres. 

The number of admissions in the Castors maternity which is a frequently used health facility, has for example, dropped very seriously, MSF stated.