Burundi's health system suffers from a lack of adequate infrastructure and human resources to meet urgent community health needs. We support programs to combat infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS and malaria, improve maternal and child health, and strengthen health systems. To improve health sector planning, we helped support Burundi's first Demographic and Health Survey in 23 years, which provides critical information about the population's health status. 

USAID’s maternal and child health efforts are designed to provide comprehensive care through improving service delivery and reinforcing the overall health system. Priorities include:

• Prevention and treatment of common childhood illnesses
• Birth preparedness and maternity services
• Treatment of obstetric complications

USAID is also piloting an innovative program to stave off child malnutrition before it begins by providing nutritional supplements to pregnant and lactating women and children aged six months to two years, as well as growth monitoring and behavior change messaging about infant care and proper nutrition.

Through the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, USAID contributes to the extension of prevention, treatment, and care to people with HIV/AIDS. Other programs are expanding to all 18 provinces with the goal of eliminating new infections among children while keeping their mothers alive and healthy. We supported the Government of Burundi in developing a national strategic plan for HIV/AIDS control, and have helped expand access to HIV prevention information through peer educators. 

With support from the Presidential Malaria Initiative in 2010, USAID launched comprehensive malaria prevention and treatment activities to bolster the Government’s National Malaria Program. USAID builds local capacity to combat malaria, integrate health systems, implement a quality assurance case management system, and prevent infections among the most vulnerable people. USAID is also conducting pilot community-based treatments using rapid diagnostic tests and artemisinin combined therapy.