Burkina Faso 

The number of people with Covid-19 in Burkina Faso has evolved since the first cases were registered on the 9th of March. On the 6th of June, the last assessment highlighted that eight hundred and ninety people had tested positive, seven hundred and seventy five people had recovered and fifty three had passed away. Despite these figures, the Government has eased the preventive measures taken against the spread of the virus by allowing the re-opening of markets, places of worship, bars and restaurants, the lifting of the quarantine and the authorisation of the use of public transport.

At the start of the pandemic, Keoogo put in place a number of preventative measures such as cancelling group activities, banning visitors from going to the Keoogo shelter in Ouagadougou and telling the young mothers and children living there not to go out. The mothers also attended health awareness programmes on how to protect themselves and others from Covid-19. The organisation arranged for the provision of  hydro-alcoholic hand sanitiser at the entrance to its offices as well as masks for the field team and medical staff at the Keoogo Medical Centre. 

The prevention of Covid-19 is particularly challenging for children and young people who live on the streets and rely on the informal economy for their livelihoods. Since the spread of the virus, some of them have decided to join community drop-in centres, and this has put more pressure on these facilities in terms of availability of basic supplies. Keoogo is aware that three hundred and seventy four children are living on the streets in our area and they are currently taking action to protect these children. They have strengthened the capacity of the drop-in centres by providing food, water, medicines, masks and hygiene kits that include hand sanitiser, soap and gloves for the street children and the community.