Burundi: Care for victims of violence in Bujumbura

In August 2017, the ICRC and the Burundi Red Cross reached an accord with Burundi's Ministry of Health and began providing support to four health centres located in the Kamenge, Buterere II, Kinindo and Musaga neighbourhoods.

Staff at the centres received additional training and three new psychologists were recruited, which means the centres can now provide more comprehensive services to victims of physical, psychological and sexual violence.

All services, including medical and psychological care, are provided free of charge. Free kits are also available for victims of rape so that they can limit the risk of contracting HIV or another STI and prevent unwanted pregnancy.

We also provide support to these centres so they can help disenfranchised people with common ailments such as malaria, diarrhoea and respiratory diseases.

New generators at the Kamenge and Musaga centres, provided by the ICRC, allow them to maintain the cold chain when storing medication. We also renovated the infrastructure at all four centres to improve hygiene and ensure that all care is confidential.

In 2018, the ICRC will provide similar support to two additional health centres located outside the city.