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Country Profile Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso is a landlocked country located in West Africa. Until 1984, it was known as the Republic of Upper Volta. The population of the former French protectorate is estimated to be over 15,757,000. Politically, the country is a presidential republic with a parliament. Political freedom is severely restricted, with various human rights organizations protesting numerous incidents of state-sponsored violence against the media and politically active citizens. Overall health conditions in Burkina Faso have been improving somewhat over the last two decades, but many problems still remain. Life expectancy for males is only 49 years, compared to a global average of 66 years and a regional average of 52 years. Female life expectancy is 56 years, compared with a global average of 71 years, but is identical to the regional average.

Some of the gains in the health of Burkina Faso’s population can be attributed to increased expenditures on health care. The government has been using the increased funding to focus on upgrading the quality of health services by improving facilities and skills, gaining control of parasitic diseases and increasing the functionality of sector institutions. Its per-capita expenditure on health has increased from the equivalent of ten U.S. dollars to approximately 40 dollars since 1997. This represents an estimated 4.1 percent of GDP, compared to three percent as recently as 2001.

One of the most serious health concerns for Burkina Faso is onchocerciasis, or river blindness, which affects 84 percent of the total land area. This routinely forces large groups of people to desert areas affected by the flies, which cause the condition. A control program is having some success. Almost two-thirds of residents have access to clean drinking water.

As with large portions of Africa, the spread of HIV/AIDS is a major concern. The prevalence in 2003 was 4.2 per 100 adults. As of 2004, there were an estimated 300,000 people living with HIV/AIDS in Burkina Faso. There were approximately 29,000 deaths from AIDS as recently as 2003.

In June 2011, the Population Fund distributed its report on The State of the World’s Midwifery. The mortality rate per 100,000 births for Burkina Faso was 560. This compares with 332.4 in 2008 and 487.5 in 1990. The goal of this report is to showcase ways in which the Millennium Development Goals can be met, especially Goal 4 and 5, reducing child mortality and lowering the incidence of maternal death.