Long Read
finding an english-speaking doctor in bobo-dioulasso: a touring session drummer's survival guide
so here's the thing about bobo-dioulasso: it's not exactly overflowing with english-speaking doctors. i learned this the hard way when i landed here for a three-week tour and woke up with what felt like a marching band practicing inside my skull. the heat doesn't help either - we're talking 35°c in the shade, humidity that makes you feel like you're swimming through the air, and dust that gets everywhere. literally everywhere.
first off, let me paint you a picture of this place. bobo-dioulasso is burkina faso's second-largest city, sitting about 360km west of the capital ouagadougou. the population hovers around 600,000 people, and while french is the official language, dioula is what you'll actually hear on the streets. now try finding medical help when your french is limited to "bonjour" and "merci." spoiler alert: it's an adventure.
the reality check
here's some cold hard data that nobody tells you: according to the world health organization, burkina faso has approximately 0.06 physicians per 1,000 people. yes, you read that right. compare that to something like 2.5 per 1,000 in the united states. suddenly that headache doesn't seem so funny anymore.
the average monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the city center runs about 150,000-200,000 cfa francs (roughly $250-330 usd). not terrible, but when you're trying to figure out if that weird rash is going to bankrupt you, every franc counts.
my personal disaster story
i showed up at what locals call the "Centre Hospitalier Universitaire" - the main hospital - thinking i'd just walk in and find someone who speaks english. ha! the place was packed with people, the smell of antiseptic fighting with something that smelled suspiciously like burnt corn, and not a single english word to be found. after about 30 minutes of wild gesturing and showing my swollen throat to anyone who would look, a nurse finally took pity on me.
"you need doctor who speaks english?" she asked, her accent thick but understandable.
"yes, please!" i practically shouted.
"maybe tomorrow. doctor come from france maybe."
she wrote down a number on a scrap of paper that looked like it had been through a war. that number became my lifeline.
the actual solution
through a series of whatsapp messages that cost me more in data than i care to admit, i finally connected with dr. amadou somé, who had spent two years in canada during his medical training. he wasn't technically "english-speaking" in the fluent sense, but he knew enough to understand "my head feels like it's going to explode" and actually do something about it.
here's what i learned about finding medical help in bobo:
- *the french connection: any doctor who's done training in france or canada is your best bet for english
- the embassy list: the u.s. embassy in ouagadougou maintains a list of english-speaking doctors, but it's mostly for emergencies
- local networks: ask at your hotel, ask at restaurants frequented by expats, ask literally anyone who looks like they might speak english
- bring a translator: if you're staying long-term, invest in a local student who wants to practice english
cost breakdown (because money matters)
| Service | Cost (CFA) | Cost (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| General consultation | 10,000-15,000 | $16-25 |
| Basic medications | 5,000-8,000 | $8-13 |
| Blood tests | 15,000-25,000 | $25-40 |
| X-ray | 20,000-30,000 | $33-50 |
overheard wisdom
"the doctors here? they're good. like, really good. but explaining your symptoms is like playing charades with your health on the line." - overheard at a café near the grand mosque
"don't wait until you're actually dying to go to the hospital. by then, the language barrier becomes life-threatening." - local expat at the french cultural center
pro tips from someone who survived
- download offline medical dictionaries in french before you arrive
- carry a symptom card with common ailments written in french
- know the emergency numbers: 10 for medical emergencies, but good luck if you don't speak french
- consider travel insurance* that includes medical evacuation - seriously
the neighborhood factor
bobo-dioulasso is divided into neighborhoods, and medical care varies wildly between them. the secteur 25 and secteur 26 areas have better facilities, but you'll still be hard-pressed to find english speakers. the old town (vielle ville) has more traditional healers than western doctors, which might be fine if you've got a spiritual ailment but less helpful for that ear infection from the pool party last night.
final thoughts
would i recommend bobo-dioulasso to other touring musicians or digital nomads? absolutely. just come prepared. learn basic medical french phrases. build a local network before you need it. and maybe pack a really comprehensive first-aid kit.
the people here are incredibly kind and will go out of their way to help you, language barrier be damned. that nurse who gave me dr. somé's number? she checked on me for three days straight, bringing me herbal teas and making sure i wasn't dying. that's the kind of care you find here - it just might come with more gestures and less english than you're used to.
useful links
- TripAdvisor - Bobo-Dioulasso Medical Tourism
- Lonely Planet Thorn Tree Forum - Bobo Health
- Embassy of the United States - Burkina Faso Medical Resources
- Expat.com Burkina Faso - Healthcare Discussion
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