🇧🇫 Burkina Faso Healthcare Guide
Ouagadougou has a few private clinics that cater to the expat community, but the public healthcare system across Burkina Faso is under-resourced, and facilities outside the capital and Bobo-Dioulasso are very basic. Yellow Fever vaccination is required for entry. The system operates in French, so having your medical summary available in French and accessible offline covers you for encounters outside the capital where connectivity and English are both limited.
Quick facts
- Emergency number: 112
- Healthcare system: mixed
- Average GP visit: $15 USD
- EHIC/GHIC accepted: No
- Language barrier: medium
Healthcare overview
Ouagadougou has Burkina Faso’s best facilities, including Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Yalgado Ouédraogo and private clinics. Bobo-Dioulasso has a secondary hospital. Healthcare outside these cities is very basic. Security concerns in the northern and eastern regions (Sahel, Est, Centre-Nord) affect medical access. GP visits at private clinics cost $10–25.
Security-affected regions
Northern and eastern Burkina Faso have active security concerns that affect healthcare access. Verify conditions before travelling to these areas.
Ouagadougou as medical hub
Nearly all reliable care is in Ouagadougou. Bobo-Dioulasso has a secondary hospital; elsewhere, capabilities are very limited.
Vaccinations
Required
- Yellow Fever
Recommended
- Hepatitis A
- Hepatitis B
- Typhoid
- Malaria prophylaxis
- Meningitis
- Rabies
Prescriptions and pharmacies
Ouagadougou’s pharmacies follow French conventions and carry basic medications at low prices. Rural areas have minimal pharmacy access. Counterfeit medications are a concern in informal markets. Buy from licensed pharmacies only and carry your full supply for any travel outside major towns.
Licensed pharmacy sourcing
Buy from pharmacies displaying the green cross. Counterfeit medications circulate in informal markets, particularly outside Ouagadougou.
Tips for travellers
Ouagadougou’s hospitals provide basic specialist care. For complex conditions, Abidjan (Ivory Coast) and Accra (Ghana) are the nearest regional hubs, with Paris as the traditional French-speaking referral destination. Having your treatment plan accessible in French helps providers across all these destinations continue your care.
Abidjan and Accra options
Abidjan and Accra offer the nearest specialist upgrades, both accessible by direct flight from Ouagadougou.