In July 2024, violent hostilities erupted in the Kidal region of northern Mali, close to the Algerian border. Armed clashes between the Malian Armed Forces and rebel groups, intensied the geopolitical instability in the region. The ghting led to widespread destruction and forced thousands of civilians, particularly women and children, to ee their homes. As of late July, reports indicated that between 5,000 and 6,000 people had crossed into Algeria, primarily through the border town of Tinzaouatine, seeking refuge from the violence.
This represents just a peak in the displacement, which had begun much earlier, leading to the movement of tens of thousands of people.
As a result of the mass population movement, Algeria's southern wilayas of In Guezzam and Bordj Badji Mokhtar have been overwhelmed, and the public health crisis in these areas has rapidly escalated. The inux of displaced persons has signicantly contributed to the spread of malaria and diphtheria. By late September, 536 cases of malaria had been recorded, with 40 deaths, alongside 115 cases of diphtheria, with 28 fatalities.
Environmental factors have also played a role in exacerbating the situation. Heavy rains in September created widespread stagnant water, providing fertile breeding grounds for mosquitoes, which led to a sharp rise in malaria cases. Meanwhile, the low vaccination coverage among displaced populations, especially those coming from rural areas of Mali, has accelerated the spread of diphtheria. The combination of population movement, inadequate shelter, and an unprepared healthcare system has created the perfect storm for these outbreaks, leaving thousands of vulnerable people at heightened risk of illness and death.
The combination of mass population movement, environmental conditions, and the healthcare system's inability to manage the resurgence of malaria and diphtheria, leading to a severe public health emergency in Algeria's southern regions has led the MoH to request support from the Algeria RC to support the response in the aected areas. On October 3rd, the MoH declared the number of conrmed cases for the outbreaks and the need for intervention in the aected regions.
The violent conict in northern Mali, coupled with environmental factors and inadequate healthcare infrastructure, has led to a severe Page 2 / 15 public health emergency in Algeria's southern regions. The mass displacement of thousands of civilians into Algeria has overwhelmed local resources, causing a rapid spread of malaria and diphtheria, exacerbated by heavy rains and low vaccination rates among displaced populations. With hundreds of cases and numerous fatalities, the Algerian Ministry of Health has sought urgent intervention from the Algerian Red Crescent to address the escalating crisis.