Four Teams, 1,300 Kilometers, 24,000 People: Mobile Health Teams Criss-Cross Guinea to Provide Health Care to Remote Mining Communities
In remote areas of Guinea, access to health care remains a major challenge for many communities. The prefecture of Siguiri, in the heart of the Kankan Administrative Region, is a prime example of this situation. The region’s gold mining areas, which attract large numbers of people not only from Guinea but also from neighbouring countries, are particularly vulnerable. These informal settlements form communities and can house more than 100,000 people, with no basic social infrastructure, exposing those living there to communicable diseases. It is in this context that mobile health teams (MHTs) play a decisive role, providing care directly to those who need it most.
Designed to bridge the gap between traditional health services and remote populations, mobile health teams provide essential primary health care in hard-to-reach areas. Equipped with motorbikes fit for difficult roads, each team, consisting of a technical health agent or nurse and a community relay, cover an average of 1,300 kilometers a month visiting key areas such as Doko, Bankon, Siguirini and Niagassola. Since 2022, the mobile health teams have reached more than 24,000 people, including nearly 16,000 women.
The innovative approach is part of the pilot project, “Developing a Migrant-Sensitive Health Service Delivery Model to Reach Miners in Upper Guinea.” The project is supported by the IOM Development Fund and implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene, and more specifically its National Directorate of Community Health and Traditional Medicine.
Sidi Diallo, a nurse, has been working for six months as a member of the Bankon mobile health team. He describes his main role as “to raise awareness among people, direct them to the health centre, or inform them of the importance of getting immunized.”
Apart from provision of basic health care, the mobile health teams play a crucial role in detecting epidemic-prone diseases and support national initiatives such as National Immunization Days. With this proactive approach, the teams, which have been in place since 2023, are redefining access to health care in Guinea and are perfectly aligned with the country’s national community health strategy guidelines.
“We have seen a significant increase in visits to our centre since the launch of the IOM project and deployment of the mobile health teams,” says Dr Adama Sidibé, Head of the Bankon Health Centre in the Siguiri Prefecture.
On a typical travel day, Sidi rises early, long before the sun, inspired by an unshakeable passion for his profession as a nurse and an unwavering dedication to the communities he serves. “Every morning, our team meets to define an area of intervention with the Head of Centre, who guides us through the way forward. We choose a specific theme, whether it is malaria, pregnancy care, health promotion, immunization, or family planning, before heading out into the field,” said Sidi Diallo.
“Before each outreach session, I hold discussions with the mobile teams lasting between 30 minutes to an hour. We discuss the equipment to take with us, medicines to provide if needed during consultations and health awareness-raising messages to deliver. This close collaboration between the health centre and the mobile teams is essential to ensure our community’s health and well-being.”
Dr Adama Sidibé, Head of the Bankon Health Centre in the Prefecture of Siguiri, Guinea
When they move to the field, the interaction with the local population begins. Sidi and Fodé build on their expertise and empathy to inform them of health risks and provide the necessary care. The team frequently encounters critical situations that require immediate medical attention. In such situations, Sidi’s training and experience are essential.
“During our visits, we are often confronted with an emergency. For example, during an operation in the Kodjo mine, we provided care for a person who had injured his foot. We sutured the wound on the spot, gave the patient medication and referred him to the local health centre.”
Sidi Diallo, nurse and member of the Bankon mobile health team, IOM Guinea
The team’s visits are varied, sometimes covering great distances. Whether it is from Ikité to Koumandougou or Nafadji, every visit is a mission to reach the most vulnerable. And despite the challenges on the ground, the team makes sure it is as effective as possible. “Every day, our mobile team defines a specific intervention zone. These areas can vary from five kilometres to sometimes more than 60 kilometres from our starting point. And here we don’t count in distance but in hours, as the areas are very remote and difficult to access, and the motorbike is often the only way to get there,” said Sidi Diallo.
In mining areas, the relentless quest for gold often outweighs the miners’ priorities. They are reluctant to take a day off to see a doctor, because every day they spend not working represents a loss of earnings, a potential undiscovered treasure. This is where the work of the mobile health teams becomes particularly important. “One of our key missions is to raise health awareness among workers in the mines. When we arrive, we often see workers exposed to various risks such as communicable lung diseases, and environmental risk factors. We make them aware of the importance of looking after their health and provide first aid,” said Sidi Diallo.
Sidi explains that a large part of their work is also devoted to informing young women about Gender-Based Violence, Sexually Transmitted Infections and the importance of pregnancy care. Dr Sidibé adds that these direct community interventions have had a significant impact on routine immunization. “This awareness-raising has considerably increased the number of consultations we have had. Before the project began, we had an average of 80 consultations per month. Today, this figure has more than doubled,” says Dr Adama Sidibé.
Interaction is not limited to simply providing care. The mobile team takes the time to listen to feedback from the community, acknowledging their thanks, concerns and suggestions. This active listening enables the team to adjust its interventions and respond to the community’s needs. In a world where access to health care remains a major challenge for many communities, particularly in remote and hard-to-reach areas, mobile health teams are emerging as a revolutionary solution. By visiting communities directly, these teams break down geographical, socio-economic and cultural barriers, offering quality health care to those who need it most.
“Mining areas, which are home to many ethnic groups and nationalities, also present health challenges. The mobile teams play an essential role in raising awareness among these populations, particularly in terms of immunization and the prevention of sexually transmitted infections, tuberculosis, and other infectious diseases,” said Dr Adama Sidibé.
For the Government of Guinea, the hope is that this project can be replicated in other places.
“The model developed by this pilot project will serve as an advocacy tool for the Ministry of Health to engage donors and the private sector to scaling-up this intervention to the national level.”
Dr. Mamady Kourouma, National Director of Community Health and Traditional Medicine, Guinea
Furthermore, “the Mobile Health Teams strategy implemented in Siguiri is aligned with the achievement of the Universal Health Coverage objectives of the National Health Development Plan and the National Community Health Strategy in Guinea,” said Dr. Mamady Kourouma.
