2025 UHC Day Champion
Dr Bintou Dembele
Director of ARCAD Santé Plus, Mali
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Dr. Bintou Dembele, Executive Director of the Association for Community Resilience toward Access to Development and Health Plus (ARCAD Santé Plus) and Community Principal Recipient of The Global Fund grant for HIV, TB and malaria in Mali.
She is a pioneer in the care of people living with HIV and TB, as well as orphans; her work also includes protection of human rights, combating gender-based violence, and malaria prevention.
Under her leadership, ARCAD Santé Plus became the first civil-society organisation in Mali to transition from sub-recipient to principal recipient status, thereby strengthening community governance, accountability, and expanded access to integrated care.
Through a multisectoral, community-based approach, she has contributed to decentralising comprehensive health services - integrating HIV, TB and sexual health clinics across multiple regions -ensuring that vulnerable and marginalised populations access essential care without discrimination or financial barriers.
Her interventions , supported over time by major partners including National Institutes of Health and USAID, reflect her consistent commitment to health equity, community participation, and sustainable financing for health.
