In March of this year, MSF opened a basic healthcare project with mobile clinics in the west of Ivory Coast (West Africa), where a civil war has been raging since last September. The organisation has also re-opened the hospital in the western city of Man.

At present, a shaky ceasefire is in place. For security reasons, the clinics there have been at a standstill for several months. The MSF team will work in the rebel-held area around Man, where 500,000 people lived before the conflict erupted.

MSF may also start a project in the government-held area around Tabou and Grabo in the southwest near the Liberian border.

Three rebel movements control sixty percent of the country - mostly in the north and west. As most of the medical staff that worked there has fled to government-controlled areas, there is no longer any regular healthcare.

The situation in the west near the Liberian border is particularly tense. To make matters worse, Liberian armed gangs are also active. There have been reports of looting, rape and torched villages.

The violence has caused many people to flee to other parts in the west of the country as well. The healthcare shortage seems to be worst in this region.