Long queues demonstrate the need for care. Consultation costs push some households to postpone medical appointments. The strong turnout at the International Health Fair, which ended this Friday at Kianja Barea Mahamasina, illustrates the scale of demand when care is accessible free of charge. Over four days, many people came to benefit from free consultations. Some explain that a private consultation costs a minimum of 10,000 ariary. A sum that can weigh on family budgets, especially when added to the price of medicines and other health expenses. "When there are opportunities, we take advantage to get treated," explains one beneficiary. For these visitors, free care offers the possibility to consult without having to choose between medical expenses and other household needs. Financial obstacles From the early hours, queues formed and quickly exceeded planned capacity. Some people were ultimately unable to receive care despite making the trip. The turnout at Mahamasina highlights a persistent difficulty: for part of the population, the price of a consultation is enough to delay access to care. Free services then become an opportunity to receive treatment, while revealing the financial obstacles that still limit access to health services.