Essential Health Centers Revived: One Year On After Cyclone Destruction

​Cyclones Batsirai and Emnati hit the southern Ikongo district within two weeks of each other in February 2022, tearing through communities and leaving an aftermath of destruction. Hundreds of schools were totally destroyed and hundreds more lost their rooves. Bridges collapsed, landslides cut off roads, fields were silted over and swathes of crops and trees were destroyed. Thousands of already poor families were left homeless and without any food reserves. Whilst we have helped thousands, the plight of the wider population is worsening in part due to the lack of basic health services after many health centres were destroyed in the cyclones. 

Faliarivo's previous health center.

The interior of the old Faliarivo health center.

The remnants of one of the buildings of Ankarimbelo Hospital.

The municipality of Ankarimbelo, on the eastern edge of the rainforest, suffered the highest death rates during the cyclones and its two main health centres were devastated. After the cyclones last year, Ankarimbelo Hospital was reduced to one leaking room where newborn babies and mothers were crammed in with sufferers of infectious diseases. Over the past few months we have rebuilt the hospital in Ankarimbelo and the health centre in Faliarivo - not an easy feat with most of the construction materials brought in by foot through the forest. Now over 28,000 people have access to improved heath services.  Click here for more One Year On information and how you can help. 

Faliarivo's new health center opening celebration.

Ankarimbelo's resident doctor is happy about the soon to be finished maternity hospital.

Ankarimbelo Hospital is now complete.