Since the independence from the colonial power France in 1960, violent changes of power have been the rule in the CAR. Since the last coup in 2013, there has been civil war. Fighting between rival militia and rebel groups has dominated people’s lives. The conflict is as much about religious motives as it is about political and economic power and the securing of territorial claims and valuable resources. The 2016 election of Faustin Archange Touadéra as president in February 2016, as well as numerous peace agreements between rebel groups and the government in Bangui, have not yet led to any lasting peaceful resolution of the situation. Nationwide armed clashes have continued since the December 2020 election. Rebel groups and militias control about 80 percent of the country; large areas are considered ungovernable.

The social situation is devastating. There are hundreds of thousands of refugees across the country. CAR is listed by the United Nations as the second poorest country in the world, with an annual per capita income of $476.85 (World Bank 2020). Medical care for the population is disastrous and completely inadequate.

An example of this is the district hospital in the town of Bossembélé, which was once in serious disrepair. It is located about 160 kilometers northwest of the capital Bangui, which could no longer adequately supply the approximately 130,000 people living in the region. Displaced professional staff, a lack of medications, and buildings ripe for demolition rendered the clinic virtually incapable of operating. Today, through the efforts of Cap Anamur and local efforts, it is the best hospital in the region.