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Situation:

In Burundi, mental health is a serious public health issue, with alarming levels of psychological distress reported: 42.7% of people report having experienced a health problem related to “nerves”; 64.5% of the population report psychological distress; 8.3% of the population report having seriously considered suicide at least once in their life; 4.3% of the population report having attempted suicide at least once in their life.

Situation:

The MAPE project in Cameroon combats neglected tropical diseases and improves maternal and child health in highly disadvantaged regions. Many people lack access to healthcare, leading to high maternal mortality and untreated diseases. FAIRMED strengthens health facilities, trains staff, promotes safe deliveries, and raises community awareness. The goal is to improve access to healthcare and sustainably strengthen the health system.

Situation:

Bangladesh has made progress in maternal health: maternal mortality declined to 115 per 100,000 births (2023). Fistula prevalence fell from 1.69 to 0.49 per 1,000 women, with around 1,000 new cases annually. In 2023, 52.1% of cases were obstetric and 43.2% iatrogenic. Yet only about 1 in 50 affected women seek treatment. Key barriers include limited access to information and care, shortages of skilled health workers, rising caesarean section rates, and disparities between urban and rural areas.

Situation:

In the Kasungu District of Malawi, many people have limited access to basic healthcare services. Only 42 per cent of the population live within walking distance of healthcare facilities. The maternal mortality rate stands at around 349 deaths per 100,000 live births and the infant mortality rate at 44 deaths per 1,000 live births. Common illnesses include malaria, diarrhoea and respiratory diseases. Healthcare workers lack qualifications in maternal and child health. People in rural areas in particular have very little access to healthcare services.

Situation:

Several initiatives have improved paediatric care through guidelines, training, and increased staffing. However, challenges remain, including limited institutional capacity, fragmented coordination, and weak long-term structures. The Malawi–Else Kröner Child Health Programme (2022–2026) has proven feasibility but lacks sustainable institutionalisation. A fully operational centre is therefore needed to integrate coordination, research, and implementation and strengthen collaboration.

Situation:

Malawi faces severe health challenges, as evidenced by high maternal and under-five mortality. Key drivers are limited access to medical care - over 80% of people live in rural areas, often far from health facilities - and a shortage of a trained health workforce. Only 15,000 health workers are in place, compared to 25,000 required for adequate care of the population. Each health worker serves about 1,500 people, resulting in poor coverage and quality of care.

Situation:

In the Rukwa, Katavi, and Kigoma regions, more than 5 million people live, 2.8% of whom suffer from severe visual impairment or blindness. Up to 80% of these visual impairments are treatable through education, medication, surgery, or eyeglasses. Improving eye care can significantly enhance the quality of life and employability of many people.

Situation:

Road traffic injuries are a leading cause of death in Uganda, with increasing crash and fatality rates. A major issue is the lack of effective pre-hospital care and trained personnel, with fewer than 5% of victims transported by ambulance. This project supports the national EMS policy by establishing a pre-hospital qualification to train the first national paramedics. It aims to strengthen capacity, improve emergency care quality, and reduce preventable deaths.

Situation:

Due to the war, families with children suffering from cancer in Ukraine are concentrated in just a few hospitals across the country. Successful treatment of these children requires an immediate and uninterrupted supply of medicines and medical supplies. However, there is a severe shortage of these supplies in hospitals, and the families affected are also unable to afford their share of the treatment costs due to having fled or changed their place of residence.

Situation:

The project is based in the Kilombero Valley in central Tanzania. There is a referral hospital with 375 beds serving over 1.5 million people; however, the existing health centres in the wider region are unable to provide adequate care for chronic non-communicable diseases outside the specialist centre due to lack of training and equipment.

Objectives:

Improving care for non-communicable diseases (hypertension, heart failure, obstructive lung diseases (asthma, COPD), diabetes, cancer) in the rural Kilombero region