Factors hindering health care delivery in nomadic communities: a cross-sectional study in Timbuktu, Mali

Nomadic communities in Timbuktu, Mali, face significant barriers to accessing healthcare due to their mobile lifestyle and the inadequacy of existing health services. A cross-sectional study involving 520 participants from Ber and Gossi communes revealed that transportation challenges (79.4%), service quality concerns (39.2%), and high costs (35.7%) are primary obstacles. Additionally, over a quarter of respondents expressed discomfort with gender-mismatched healthcare providers. These findings highlight the need for tailored health policies and interventions that address mobility, affordability, and cultural sensitivities to improve community-based health outcomes in nomadic populations.

Sangare, M., Coulibaly, Y. I., Coulibaly, S. Y., Dolo, H., Diabate, A. F., Atsou, K. M., Souleymane, A. A., Rissa, Y. A., Moussa, D. W., Abdallah, F. W., Dembele, M., Traore, M., Diarra, T., Brieger, W. R., Traore, S. F., Doumbia, S., & Diop, S. (2021). Factors hindering health care delivery in nomadic communities: a cross-sectional study in Timbuktu, Mali. BMC Public Health, 21(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-10481-w