MSF collaborated with Burundian health authorities on malaria prevention, infrastructure support, and disease outbreak responses. We also provided emergency humanitarian assistance to refugees fleeing conflict in Democratic Republic of Congo.
In 2025, MSF collaborated with the Burundian health authorities on a lifesaving malaria prevention initiative in Cibitoke, which involved administering vaccines and malaria prevention drugs, and distributing mosquito nets. We carried out research to assess the impact of the initiative, and reported a 40 per cent drop in severe malaria cases at Cibitoke district hospital compared with the same period in 2024.*
To increase our support to communities in Cibitoke, we drilled two boreholes to provide clean water. We also installed a solar power station at the hospital to ensure the continuity of care.
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In 2025, MSF's operations focused heavily on rapid responses to massive refugee influxes from the DRC and combating fast-spreading cholera outbreaks, alongside highly successful preventive health initiatives.
A targeted malaria prevention campaign achieved major reductions in severe cases. Teams also upgraded vital hospital infrastructure to ensure continuity of care and deployed an emergency cholera response in Rugombo.
Following the early 2025 influx of refugees fleeing war in the DRC, MSF established essential medical support in highly precarious camp settings, focusing on preventative care for children and general outpatient services.
Rapid deployment teams responded to dangerous, fast-spreading cholera outbreaks to limit transmission and provide immediate treatment for infected patients across southern health districts.
Emergency healthcare, relief distribution, and dedicated cholera treatment centers were established to manage the massive wave of refugees arriving from South Kivu late in the year.
In early 2025, thousands of refugees from the war in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) arrived in Burundi. MSF teams supported the refugees both in Cibitoke and in the designated Musenyi site in Burunga province, where around 18,000 people were living in precarious conditions by the end of April.** In Musenyi, we provided outpatient care and measles vaccinations for children, as well as treatment for, and mosquito nets to prevent, malaria. In Rugombo, Cibitoke province, we responded to a cholera outbreak and installed oral rehydration points.
During the year, we also responded to cholera outbreaks in south Burundi, intervening in Bujumbura in August and the Nyanza-Lac health district in November.
In December, over 100,000 people fled over the border from South Kivu, DRC.*** Our teams launched an initial response in Ndava transit camp providing healthcare and distributing relief items, then we collaborated with the authorities in Busuma camp, where most of the refugees were moved to, by supporting a cholera treatment centre, running a general healthcare clinic, organising specialist referrals, and distributing water.
