In Mali, it is estimated that 6.5 million people will require humanitarian assistance in 2025, including 3.7 million who will need health services. Growing insecurity, mass displacement, and weakened health infrastructure continue to disrupt access to care, particularly for women, adolescents, and people with disabilities.
From 19 to 20 March 2025, the Health Cluster convened over 40 partners in Bamako for a two-day retreat to assess progress, share lessons, and define a road map for 2025. Participants included representatives from national and international NGOs, UN agencies, the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, Médecins Sans Frontières, government authorities, and other clusters. The event was facilitated by the Health Cluster, with support from WHO and national health and social development ministries.
Photo ©Mali Health Cluster: Participants during the Cluster Retreat
Localization emerged as an important focus of the retreat. Building on the Global Health Cluster’s strategy, participants endorsed a roadmap to strengthen the role of national and local NGOs in humanitarian health coordination. This includes better representation of local actors in coordination structures, tailored capacity-building initiatives, and improved access to funding opportunities. Coaching between international and national NGOs, updated partner mapping, and joint planning mechanisms were also highlighted by participants as best practices for advancing localization.
In addition to localization, the retreat provided space for partners to explore other critical themes through working groups, focusing on epidemic preparedness and rapid response, strengthening coordination structures and intersectoral collaboration (including sexual and reproductive health and mental health), improving information management and partner reporting, and diversifying strategies for resource mobilization. Participants also reviewed findings from the preliminary Cluster Coordination Performance Monitoring (CCPM) self-assessment and contributed concrete solutions to persistent coordination challenges.
In 2024, Health Cluster partners supported over 4,270 health facilities across Mali, including community health centres, mobile clinics, and temporary health posts, reaching 2.7 million people. The Health Cluster coordinates the work of 42 active partners across six humanitarian regions: Ménaka, Timbuktu, Gao, Kidal, Mopti, and Ségou. Six subnational health and nutrition coordination groups ensure close collaboration with local health authorities.
Under the 2025 Humanitarian Response Plan, USD 43.3 million has been requested to support health interventions across Mali, helping to deliver quality, life-saving services to the most vulnerable.