Batangafo mayor appeals for hospital aid
The mayor of Batangafo Centre has asked the government to help save the prefectural hospital as MSF prepares to leave.
The mayor of Batangafo Centre, Patrick Thierry Max Belleka, urgently appealed to the Central African government to prevent the collapse of the Batangafo prefectural hospital. Belleka requested the immediate return of the hospital's ambulance and an audit of medication management in a statement dated November 2, 2026. This plea comes as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), which has supported the facility's operations, is set to depart permanently.
Belleka, who is also the president of the Communal Health Committee, directed his appeal to the minister of Ouham-Fafa, the Minister of Health and Population, the Prime Minister, and President Faustin-Archange Touadéra. He seeks their intervention to ensure the continued provision of healthcare services and to safeguard the hospital's remaining resources.
The mayor's statement aims to secure government support to maintain the hospital's functionality following MSF's withdrawal. The departure of the medical aid group raises concerns about the future of healthcare access for the local population.
Why it mattersThe prefectural hospital in Batangafo faces potential service collapse, affecting local residents' access to healthcare.