he Gbaya Ndombia maternity clinic is run by Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) in collaboration with the Ministry of Health of Central African Republic. In the 11-bed structure in Bangui, the capital of the CAR, about 50 women give birth each month attended to by skilled medical personnel. It is located in PK5, the neighbourhood where most of Bangui’s Muslim population live. At the height of the latest acute crisis in 2013-2014 PK5 became an enclave cut off from the rest of the city. Whilst it is now more connected to the rest of Bangui it remains a volatile environment in terms of security and access to healthcare is particularly difficult for its inhabitants. As it is the only structure in the area to offer free, quality healthcare 24 hours per day, the maternity’s staff is also trained to provide first-line care to victims of violence and refer them for further treatment. Since the structure opened in January 2016, the structure has activated its mass casualty plan nine times.

The services at Gbaya Ndombia maternity clinic go well beyond mother and newborn care. The team of midwives and assistant midwives offer family planning services, medical and psychosocial care to survivors of sexual violence, and prevention of HIV transmission from mother to child.