[Availability and access to the public healthcare facilities in sub-Saharan Africa: situation in Libreville, Gabon].

Availability and access to primary healthcare facilities is a subject of great concern in African countries south of the Sahara. Problems remain not only in the range of services but also in equality of access. By definition the public health sector has a responsibility to provide citizens with equal access to care facilities. The purpose of this study was to analyze availability and access to healthcare facilities in Libreville, the capital of Gabon, using health geography tools. These methods allowed measurement of the accessibility of public primary healthcare facilities in Libreville. Specifically the method consisted of quantitative analysis based on maps illustrating patient attraction and buffer zones. Results showed gaps in health care coverage that could lead to unequal access. The main implication of this finding is that the grid of primary healthcare facilities requires revision. A geographical approach to analyze physical geography and requirements in terms of healthcare and healthcare networks would be helpful to assist planning healthcare infrastructure in Libreville.