BY NOXOLO DLAMINI
The Government of Burkina Faso and Jhpiego have celebrated the successful completion of the five-year lntegrated Health Services (IHS) Project, highlighting major achievements in maternal and child health, malaria prevention and health-system strengthening.
The high-level closing ceremony brought together government officials, development partners, health professionals and implementing partners. The event was presided over by Dr Robert Lucien Jean-Claude Kargougou, Minister of Health and Public Hygiene, and attended by the U.S. Ambassador to Burkina Faso, underscoring the strong partnership between the Government of Burkina Faso, the United States and Jhpiego.
Held under the theme, “Celebrating Achievements, Sharing Lessons Learned, and Strengthening Commitments for Sustainable Impact,” the ceremony reflected on five years of interventions aimed at improving access to quality and integrated healthcare services.
Among the project’s notable achievements was the introduction of an innovative Group Antenatal Care model, through which 20,506 pregnant women received quality antenatal services. The model achieved a 100 per cent completion rate for the recommended continuum of care, demonstrating the potential of innovative approaches to improve maternal health services.
The project also made significant strides in the fight against malaria. Between 2022 and 2025, malaria incidence was estimated to have declined by 27 per cent*, while 3,193 healthcare providers received training to strengthen their ability to prevent, diagnose and manage malaria.
Maternal and newborn health services were another major focus of the project. Each year, the IHS Project supported health facilities in providing approximately 190,000 assisted births, helping more women and newborns access safer and higher-quality care.
Speakers at the ceremony attributed these achievements to strong government leadership, collaboration with communities and partnerships among stakeholders. They noted that the project’s impact extends beyond the figures recorded, with the initiative leaving behind strengthened health systems, improved local capacity and tested approaches that can continue benefiting communities across the project’s intervention areas.
As the IHS Project officially comes to an end, the Government of Burkina Faso and its partners have reaffirmed their commitment to sustaining the gains made over the past five years.
Speaking at the ceremony, **Dr Kargougou* said the project had remained closely aligned with Burkina Faso’s health priorities and expressed hope that lessons from the initiative would continue guiding future healthcare interventions.
“The IHS project was fully aligned with Burkina Faso’s health priorities. I hope that the lessons learned from this experience will continue to inspire our actions so that every woman, child, and family in Burkina Faso can benefit from quality healthcare services,” said Kargougou.
The completion of the IHS Project marks not only the end of a five-year programme, but also the beginning of a new phase in which government, communities and development partners are expected to build on the foundations established to ensure sustainable, high-quality healthcare for women, children and families across Burkina Faso.
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