Room for Life

IN THE HEART of Burkina Faso, where access to even the most basic health care is a daily struggle, a beacon of hope has stood for twenty years. The St. Maximilian Kolbe Medical Centre, located in the rural district of Sabou – home to 120,000 people and situated some 100 kilometres from the capital, Ouagadougou – is the only hospital serving the entire district. Built in 2005 with the generous support of St. Anthony’s Charities and the readers of the Messenger of Saint Anthony, the centre has been a lifeline for thousands. In a region where the nearest alternative might be hours away, the presence of this medical facility has meant the difference between life and death for so many.

In this part of the world, where poverty and limited infrastructure continue to create enormous barriers to basic care, the Kolbe Medical Centre has become a cornerstone of health care in the region. In many of the surrounding villages and rural communities, health services are scarce or non-existent. Dispensaries, where they exist, are often poorly equipped and understaffed. For families living far from the capital, the journey to seek help can be long, difficult, and costly. Economic hardship remains one of the greatest obstacles to receiving treatment, and for many, the cost of a consultation or a course of medicine is simply out of reach. That is why, since its foundation, the centre has made it a priority to provide low-cost medical care – and, whenever possible, free of charge.

Thousands saved

Nearly ten years after the centre first opened its doors, Father Giancarlo Zamengo, General Director of the Messenger of Saint Anthony, made a visit to Sabou to see the work being carried out by the Franciscan Conventual friars. Under the guidance of Friar Joseph Kadsondo, OFM Conv., the centre had already become a trusted place of healing, but it was clear that more needed to be done. After witnessing the daily realities and the urgent medical needs of the community, Fr. Giancarlo launched an appeal in June 2014 to raise funds for a fully equipped emergency care facility. This new addition included an operating theatre capable of treating everything from bone fractures and burns to the devastating injuries caused by road accidents.

“The only asphalt road that connects the country with the Ivory Coast passes next to the medical centre,” explains Fr. Giancarlo. “Overcrowded buses and run-down, overloaded trucks whizz along the road: previously, every accident was a disaster, for there were no ambulances and no diagnostic medical equipment.”

Since its completion, the emergency department has saved thousands more lives, allowing the centre to respond quickly to crises that once would have been fatal.

A health jewel

The emergency department marked a major turning point, but the development of the Kolbe Medical Centre hasn’t stopped there. Over the years, the Franciscan Conventual friars, supported once again by the readers of the Messenger of Saint Anthony and St. Anthony’s Charities, have continued to expand and improve the facility. Between 2019 and 2022, a fully equipped post-operative department was constructed, allowing patients to recover in safer, more hygienic conditions under close medical supervision. This development has significantly improved the quality of surgical care, reducing complications and improving recovery times.

In 2023, the installation of solar panels brought yet another essential improvement. In a region where electricity supply is often unreliable or unavailable altogether, solar energy has ensured uninterrupted power to critical areas of the centre, from lighting operating rooms to refrigerating medicines and vaccines. These advancements have helped raise the centre’s standing within the national health system.

Friar Joseph writes, “Currently the centre is a CMA (Centre Médical Amélioré), meaning that it is a medical centre which has a medical, surgical, and obstetric emergency room. It was also recently given the status of a ‘health district’ for better accessibility to basic care. All this falls within the objectives of the national policy regarding universal health coverage. This centre is truly a jewel for the population of Sabou and the surrounding villages.”

New project

Despite all these improvements, the demands on the centre continue to grow. Today, the centre serves more people than ever, but its physical space has not kept pace with the increasing number of patients, staff, and services. The facilities are stretched to their limits, and the lack of dedicated administrative space is beginning to affect patient care.

“Right now, administrative staff are crammed within the hospital, and doctors are forced to consult patients in overcrowded rooms, limiting essential treatments and life-saving operations,” says Fr. Giancarlo. “I prayed to Saint Anthony, and I thought of generous people like you.”

To respond to this urgent need, a new project has been proposed: the construction of a two-story administrative building. With your help, this essential facility can become a reality. It will house administrative staff, doctors’ secretaries, the accounting office, and patient records. A dedicated meeting and a small medical library will also support staff training and ongoing medical education.

By relocating these functions outside the main hospital building, crucial clinical space will be freed up – allowing doctors and nurses to treat more patients, more effectively, and in safer conditions.

Will you help them?

Every day, patients travel miles – often in distress – to reach this essential hospital, the only hope for many in need. With space so limited, some must wait longer for treatment or are seen in overcrowded rooms where privacy and proper care are difficult to guarantee. By supporting this project, you can help ensure that no one is turned away or left behind simply because there isn’t enough room.

Your generosity has already made so much possible – now, you can help take the next step in bringing hope and healing to even more people. With your kind gift of $40/£25/€30 or more, you can help expand this vital, life-saving facility – making room for more patients to receive the urgent medical care they need – ensuring that the Kolbe Medical Centre continues its mission of healing and hope.

“On December 24, 2024 Pope Francis opened the Holy Door of Saint Peter’s Basilica, marking the start of the 2025 Jubilee of Hope,” writes Fr. Giancarlo. “In Burkina Faso, hope has a face: it is the face of every mother who receives life-saving care during childbirth, of every child whose pain is eased, of every family that knows it is not forgotten. Your support this June 13 will help bring that hope to life – by making room for more patients to receive urgent medical care, and by ensuring that the Kolbe Medical Centre can continue its mission of healing and compassion,” Fr. Giancarlo concludes.

Every life matters. Every gesture counts. Let’s build this space together so that no one in need is turned away.