Revitalising Burundi’s Health System: €10 Million Grant to Strengthen Primary Care and Blood Services
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In response to an urgent shortage of healthcare workers and critical blood transfusion infrastructure, the Government of Burundi has launched a major health sector reform backed by a €10 million grant from the French Development Agency (AFD). Implemented over three years by a consortium led by the French and Burundian Red Cross, alongside AMREF and the Mérieux Foundation, the “Amagara Yacu – Our Health” project aims to improve access to quality care by strengthening the National Institute for Public Health (INSP) and the National Laboratory for Public Health (LNSP).
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The initiative also targets blood safety by improving the capacity of the National Blood Transfusion Centre (CNTS) through optimised blood collection and processing. Given the country’s high burden of both communicable and non-communicable diseases and its extremely low doctor-to-population ratio (0.1 per 1,000 inhabitants in 2020), the project is vital. A gender lens is embedded throughout, focusing on women’s and children’s health and recruiting more young women into medical training. In total, the project will train over 700 INSP students, support health personnel in the provinces of Ngozi, Muramvya and Bujumbura, and build the capacity of 175 community health workers and 500 grassroots community liaisons.
This health sector overhaul opens the door for partnerships in medical infrastructure development, particularly in equipping provincial laboratories, upgrading transfusion centres, and introducing innovative technologies for diagnostics and blood logistics. Medical device suppliers, digital health start-ups, and logistics providers could find valuable opportunities by aligning with the government’s priorities.
Additionally, there is scope for private sector engagement in health education services. Developing medical and nursing schools, offering certification programmes, and creating digital platforms for clinical training especially targeting female trainees—could attract both social impact investment and public–private collaboration. Donor agencies and health-sector venture funds are likely to support such efforts, particularly those aligned with the SDGs on health, gender equality, and capacity building.
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