Health in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

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Democratic Republic of the Congo (orthographic projection)

Health problems have been a long-standing issue limiting development in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo).

The Human Rights Measurement Initiative[1] finds that the Democratic Republic of the Congo is fulfilling 73.1% of what it should be fulfilling for the right to health based on its level of income.[2] When looking at the right to health with respect to children, the Democratic Republic of the Congo achieves 96.6% of what is expected based on its current income.[3] In regards to the right to health amongst the adult population, the country achieves 100.0% of what is expected based on the nation's level of income. [4] The Democratic Republic of the Congo falls into the "very bad" category when evaluating the right to reproductive health because the nation is fulfilling only 22.8% of what the nation is expected to achieve based on the resources (income) it has available.[5]


Health infrastructure

Sole hospital in Opienge (Tshopo)

Medical facilities are severely limited, medical materials are in short supply. An adequate supply of prescription or over-the-counter drugs in local stores or pharmacies is also generally not available. Payment for any medical services is expected in cash in the DR Congo, in advance of treatment.[citation needed]

Health status

Life expectancy

Life expectancy at birth
in DR Congo

In 2018, the CIA estimated the average life expectancy in the DR Congo to be 60.3 years: 59 for the male population and 61.6 for females (est. 2017.)[6]

Malaria

Kasai Oriental, Haut Katanga, Haut Lomami, Tanganyika, Lualaba, Sankuru, Lomami, Kasai Central, and Sud Kivu).[7] According to the 2013 DHS, progress is being made in key malaria interventions, such as insecticide-treated net ownership and use.[7] Additionally, mortality rates for children under five years of age fell by 34 percent and the incidence rate fell by 40 percent between 2010 and 2018.[7]

Other endemic diseases

Yellow fever and any other insect-borne illnesses are present as well.[citation needed]

HIV/AIDS

HIV/Aids is the most serious health problem in the DR Congo due to the incurable nature of the disease. By the end of 2003,

condoms outside Kinshasa and one or two provincial capitals.[citation needed
]

With an eventual end of hostilities and a government in transition, population movements associated with increased stability and economic revitalization will exacerbate the spread of HIV, which is now localized in areas most directly affected by the presence of troops and war-displaced populations. Consecutive wars have made it nearly impossible to conduct effective and sustainable HIV/AIDS prevention activities.[citation needed]

Cholera

Although incidence and mortality from cholera can be difficult to estimate, particularly given the DRC's lack of resources and inadequate surveillance systems,[8] several studies demonstrate that the DRC experiences a significant burden of disease.[9] In 2015, 19,705 cases of cholera were reported in the DRC. Few cases are laboratory-confirmed, so the incidence of cholera can be under-estimated.[10]

The highest annual attack rates occurred in 2011 in the Eastern provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo that border the Great Lakes. These provinces are Orientale, North and South Kivu, Katanga and Kasai Oriental. North and South Kivu as well as Katanga had the highest attack rate with over 10 cases per 100,000 people, every year between 2000 and 2011. The high annual attack rates occurred in the Eastern provinces because there is an environmental reservoir for V. cholerae in the lakes of the rift valley. Additionally, there are seasonal peaks that usually occur during the first quarter of the year which also increases the attack rate. Furthermore, fishermen travel from the eastern lakes in the Democratic Republic of Congo to larger cities at the end of the dry season which gives way to seasonal variations in incidence of Cholera.[11] Cross-border cholera remains difficult to track due to the lack of collaboration and communication between the Sub-Saharan countries.[12]

Disease outbreaks

Bar graph of Democratic Republic of the Congo EVD outbreaks 1976–present
Mycobacterium tuberculosis

There have been 10 outbreaks of the

polio, cholera, and typhoid, while tuberculosis is an increasingly serious health concern in the DR Congo.[citation needed
]

In

2019 a measles outbreak claimed more deaths than Ebola.[13]

River blindness

People are at risk of onchocerciasis (River blindness) in parts of the DR Congo.[citation needed]

Maternal and child healthcare

The 2010 maternal mortality rate per 100,000 births for Democratic Republic of the Congo is 670. This is compared with 533.6 in 2008 and 550 in 1990. The under 5 mortality rate, per 1,000 births is 199 and the neonatal mortality as a percentage of under 5's mortality is 26. In Democratic Republic of the Congo the number of midwives per 1,000 live births is 2 and the lifetime risk of death for pregnant women 1 in 24.[14]

Nutrition

The DRC nutritional situation is still alarming despite

Demographic and Health Survey 2013–2014 of DRC.[17] Undernutrition has significant long term impact on the cognitive development of children, particularly those under 5 years old and of women in childbearing age previously malnourished. Consequently, affect human capital and the country's economic productivity.[16] Undernutrition common indicators[18] recommended by WHO include anthropometric measurements, biochemical indicators and clinical signs of undernutrition.[19]
Micronutrient deficiencies in DRC are caused mostly by food deprivation and poverty, with a particularly high incidence of vitamin A deficiency 61%; iron deficiency
with 47% among children under 5 years old, 38% among women in reproductive age and 23% men. The improvement of the nutritional status of the population, particularly those of children under 5 and women of childbearing age, would reduce the mortality rate in this age group and make progress on Health Outcome Indicators specially the achievement of objective 3 of sustainable development, which aims to ensure a healthy life and promote the well-being of all at all ages. Hence on human capital, economic productivity and development.[20]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Human Rights Measurement Initiative – The first global initiative to track the human rights performance of countries". humanrightsmeasurement.org. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  2. ^ "Congo (Dem. Rep.) - HRMI Rights Tracker". rightstracker.org. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  3. ^ "Congo (Dem. Rep.) - HRMI Rights Tracker". rightstracker.org. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  4. ^ "Congo (Dem. Rep.) - HRMI Rights Tracker". rightstracker.org. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  5. ^ "Congo (Dem. Rep.) - HRMI Rights Tracker". rightstracker.org. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  6. ^ "CIA – The World Factbook Life Expectancy". Cia.gov. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h "Democratic Republic of the Congo" (PDF). President's Malaria Initiative. 2018. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  8. ^ "Cholera-Democratic Republic of Congo". World Health Organization. Archived from the original on 17 December 2015.
  9. ^ Sauvageot, D., Njanpop-Lafourcade, B. M., Akilimali, L., Anne, J. C., Bidjada, P., Bompangue, D., ... & Orach, C. G. "Cholera Incidence and Mortality in Sub-Saharan African Sites during Multi-country Surveillance". PLOS Negl Trop Dis.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  10. PMID 27186885
    .
  11. .
  12. .
  13. ^ "DR Congo measles: Nearly 5,000 dead in major outbreak". BBC. 21 November 2019. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  14. ^ "State of the World's Midwifery 2014". www.unfpa.org. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
  15. ^ "UNICEF - Countries | Pays - UNICEF Democratic Republic of Congo". Archived from the original on 22 June 2017. Retrieved 11 September 2017.
  16. ^ a b Ann Lindstrand; Staffan Bergstrom; Hans Rosling; Birgitta Rubenson; Bo Stenson; Thorkild Tylleskar(2014).Global Health an introductory textbook Edition 1:9, 182p. 2014
  17. ^ "Democratic Republic of Congo - Demographic and Health Survey 2013-14 - Key Findings" (PDF). dhsprogram.com.
  18. ^ Ann Lindstrand; Staffan Bergstrom; Hans Rosling; Birgitta Rubenson; Bo Stenson; Thorkild Tylleskar(2014).Global Health an introductory textbook Edition 1:9, 184p. 2014.
  19. ^ "Measuring Malnutrition". uniteforsight.org.
  20. ^ Ann Lindstrand; Staffan Bergstrom; Hans Rosling; Birgitta Rubenson; Bo Stenson; Thorkild Tylleskar(2014).Global Health an introductory textbook Edition 1:9, 184p. 2014

External links