BLOG: “Every time we receive medicines, it is a small victory for health”

Athair Oumar, manager of the pharmaceutical depot in the Vakaga health district, in the far north of the Central African Republic, talks about his work 1,000 km by road from the capital.

“I like to start my day very early to ensure proper planning and to make sure no health centre is left without the essential drugs it needs.

“I begin by reviewing all the supply requests. Our health district serves 18 health facilities: the closest is 45 kilometres away and the furthest is 210 kilometres. Even the shortest journeys here can be challenging. The roads are sandy and full of ditches, and during the rainy season they are often flooded. Most of the time, the heads of the health centres travel by motorcycle. We have five motorcycles that UNICEF provided with funding from the European Union.

“The poor condition of our roads is a challenge, but it pales in comparison to insecurity, which remains our greatest concern. Every day, we closely monitor the situation, and when the risk of traveling to a particular area is high, we delay movement to avoid the danger of ambush. Despite these constraints, we do everything possible to reach all health centres, ensuring that no sick child or mother is left without the essential medicines they need.

“Birao is the capital of the Vakaga Prefecture, in the northeast of the Central African Republic. In the Vakaga, our prefecture, Birao district hospital is the nearest unit where this assortment of drugs is dispensed. It has a manager who serves an average of 40 patients a day.

“Since this MSP programme began, financed by the European Union and supported by UNICEF, we have seen significant improvements in the health of women and children, particularly those affected by diarrhoea, malaria, and respiratory tract infections, which are the most common illnesses.

“This is why I must make sure that the supply of drugs runs smoothly. After preparing orders and checking lists to make sure that all drugs have been duly received, I prepare the different reports I have to send. I am convinced that a good and orderly administration is essential to maintain a smooth cooperation with our partners so that our beneficiaries may receive the treatment they need.

“Once I have checked that nothing is missing, I begin arranging the drugs on the shelves. This process must follow strict steps to avoid wasting valuable resources. On each shelf, medications are arranged according to their expiration date: batches with the closest expiration dates are placed at the front of the shelves for priority dispensing and use, while batches with later expiration dates are placed at the back. This is not a minor detail. If this system is not followed, medications risk reaching their expiration date without having been used and becoming unfit for consumption. Here, every drop and every tablet counts, and we cannot afford to make such mistakes.

“We receive the drugs, by road, every six months, and we try to supply the units of our prefecture every three months. Birao by road is more than one thousand kilometres from Bangui and goods can take weeks to reach here. Every time that the lorry arrives, it is a small victory for health.

“Once the drugs have been procured, maintaining them in good condition is not easy. We are in a very hot area. To keep the air conditioning running, we rely on a fuel-powered generator. We do not have a solar system, and since the war began in Sudan, fuel supplies from neighbouring Chad have been irregular.

“Here, in the main town, there is plenty of work for us. Birao’s population greatly increased during 2025. Formerly the town was host to 14,000 inhabitants. With the continuous arrival of Sudanese refugees fleeing conflict there and a handful of people displaced by internal conflicts, by December 2025 its population had reached 45,000. We don’t make any distinction, even if Sudanese refugees have their own medical facility at their site, every time that they refer a case to the district hospital, they are treated.

“In conclusion, no matter how poor our roads are, we shall continue working for the women and children of the Vakaga region. We are beginning to see progress. Last year, we received a tricycle equipped with a refrigerated container capable of transporting large quantities of medicines. While it cannot be used on all the roads in the prefecture, a new health centre is currently under construction nearby. Once completed, the tricycle will be a major asset in ensuring a steady supply of essential medicines for mothers and children.

“Doing this work requires some personal sacrifice, especially being separated from the loved ones. I am from this region, but my family lives in a village 125 kilometres from Birao. It may seem like a short distance, but given our conditions, it is almost as if they were in another country. It pains me that I cannot see them very often, but I am planning to bring them here to live with me.”

About the European Union supported programme:

Birao is one of the seven health districts that were earmarked to benefit from the EU-funded project of reinforcement of the national system of supply of essential drugs: Bimbo, Boda, Bossangoa, Bangassou, Ouango-Gambo, Hautte Kotto. Managed by UNICEF in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Population, it has been implemented since February 2022 with an investment of $15.2 million.