Nanoro, Burkina Faso – Sister Marie Blanche Kambire has more than 20 years of experience as a nurse. She lives in Nanoro, a rural area 85 kilometres west of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso’s capital. A Catholic nun, she has dedicated her life to serving others, particularly the children she has been caring for over the past 12 years at the Nanoro Medical Centre, where she heads the paediatric unit.

Unconditional commitment 

Sister Kambire's vocation is born of her faith. “As a Catholic nun, it’s a dual calling for me. I've been called to serve others, and in this response to God's call, I've had the desire to care for the most vulnerable, the little ones.”

She cares for children under 5 years and sometimes older, providing food and medical care for illnesses such as malaria, respiratory infections and malnutrition. The 58-year-old nurse points out that for her providing children with the best possible care is fundamental.

“When a child is sick, you can see it. And when they’re healthy again, you can see that, too. Children are innocent, and that means a lot to me. I have great love for them. It's a joy for me to provide them with the best possible care.”

Sister Kambire’s work goes beyond just feeding and providing medical care. Her day-to-day role also involves listening, consoling, caring and educating. Besides the children, she also attends to mothers and caregivers. “Sometimes, they just need a listening ear, even a simple 'hello'. The attention we give them is relieving and helps the refocus their efforts and minds on supporting us in caring for the children.”

Courage in the face of challenges

Through her daily work she faces a variety of challenges, among them turn-over and shortage of health workers, who are frequently rotated.

“There are changes in staff every two months, six months, or a year. They come, leave then others come. This means that training must constant. Everyone wants to move to the city. No one wants to stay in the rural areas,” she laments. “It would be important to receive and train healthcare workers who can stay for at least five years to help us in our work with some stability.”

From July to November, the Nanoro Medical Centre faces a high influx of patients, who mostly seek treatment for diseases such as malaria. The high number of patients during the peak period overwhelms the facility's workforce.

“Sometimes we can see up to 50 patients a day. There aren't enough of us to meet all the needs. Transportation is also difficult, especially during the rainy season. Some mothers and children cannot reach us due to bad roads. Ideally, it's up to us to go and help them, but sometimes we don't have the means to reach and treat them. That's why many of the children come late for consultations.”

Quality care above all 

In the paediatric division where Sister Kambire works, she is also also responsible for maintaining high quality of care. In recognition of her work and dedication to caring for the disadvantaged, Sister Kambire was honoured with an award of excellence by the WHO Regional Office for Africa in 2023.

“I will continue fighting for the most vulnerable, especially children, for their health and for their lives. When I see relief in the faces of mothers, children smiling, it fills me with joy. That is my happiness,” she says.