Editing Thomas Sankara (section)

===Healthcare and public works===

Sankara's first priorities after taking office were feeding, housing, and providing medical care to his people who desperately needed it. He launched a mass vaccination program aimed at eradicating [[polio]], [[meningitis]], and [[measles]]. From 1983 to 1985, 2 million Burkinabé were vaccinated, significantly improving public health outcomes.{{sfn|Murrey|2018|p=73}}<ref name=":6"/><ref name=":7"/><ref name=":5">{{cite book|author-last=Harsch|author-first=Ernest|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hGDGBAAAQBAJ|title=Thomas Sankara: An African Revolutionary|date=1 November 2014|publisher=[[Ohio University Press]]|isbn=978-0-8214-4507-5|location=|pages=38|language=en}}</ref>

Prior to Sankara's presidency, the infant mortality rate in Burkina Faso was about 20.8%. During his time in office, it fell to 14.5%, highlighting the effectiveness of his health initiatives.{{sfn|Murrey|2018|p=171}} His administration was also the first African government to publicly recognize the [[Epidemiology of HIV/AIDS|AIDS epidemic]] as a major threat to Africa, showcasing his forward-thinking approach to public health.<ref>{{cite book|title=HIV/AIDS, illness, and African well-being|author-first1=Toyin|author-last1=Falola|author-first2=Matthew M.|author-last2=Heaton|publisher=University Rochester Press|date=2007|isbn=978-1-58046-240-2|pages=290}}</ref>

In addition to healthcare, Sankara focused on large-scale housing and infrastructure projects. He established brick factories to help build houses and reduce urban slums. This initiative provided affordable housing and created jobs, contributing to economic stability.<ref name="africanagenda.net">{{cite web|url=http://africanagenda.net/africas-che-guevara-and-burkina-faso/|title=Africa's Che Guevara and Burkina Faso – African Agenda – A new perspective on Africa|website=africanagenda.net|date=9 January 2020}}</ref>

To combat deforestation, Sankara initiated "The People's Harvest of Forest Nurseries," supplying 7,000 village nurseries and organizing the planting of several million trees. This reforestation effort not only aimed to restore the environment but also to create sustainable agricultural practices. His administration connected all regions of the country through an extensive road and rail-building program. Over {{Convert|700|km|abbr=on}} of rail was laid by Burkinabé people, facilitating manganese extraction in 'The Battle of the Rails,' without any foreign aid or outside money. These initiatives demonstrated his belief that African countries could achieve prosperity without foreign assistance.<ref name=":3"/>

Sankara also prioritized education to combat the country's 90% illiteracy rate. His administration implemented successful education programs, resulting in significant improvements in literacy. After his assassination, teachers' strikes and the new regime's unwillingness to negotiate led to the creation of 'Revolutionary Teachers.' In 1996, nearly 2,500 teachers were fired due to a strike, prompting the government to invite anyone with a college degree to teach through the revolutionary teachers' program. Volunteers received a 10-day training course before starting to teach.<ref name="UprightDVD"/>