D.R. Congo > Activities by Sectors
Health Services
Three decades of dictatorship followed by years of inter-ethnic conflict have left the country and its health system in ruins. Since the signing of the peace agreement in 2003, there has been some progress in the capacity building of health clinics in remote locations of eastern DRC, but the LRA war in the far north has hugely overburdened the provincial health authorities.
Many health facilities are now hundreds of kilometres away from the closest pharmaceutical depot, requiring risky travel on extremely bad roads, which in turn hampers the supply of drugs and constrains the quality of available care.
Common diseases (most of them easily preventable) that are encountered in eastern Congo include malaria, diarrhoea, respiratory ailments, and diseases connected with HIV and sexual violence.
Emergency Relief
Thanks to our widespread presence in Ituri and the Uélés districts, we are ready to respond quickly to various disease outbreaks in the region, as well as in areas where there are large numbers of displaced people. Our emergency responses are funded by ECHO.
Rehabilitation
Psychosocial treatment
Medair supports up to 30 health zones and up to 500 health structures in D.R. Congo. That support includes technical guidance, supervision, training of health staff, and supply of medicines and materials. Over 5,000 health staff work in these facilities.
More than 100,000 people per month are treated in Medair-supported facilities, with many more benefiting from preventative activities and vaccinations, especially children.
Medair places particular emphasis on assisting victims of sexual violence, and on providing psychosocial support for children. In Haut and Bas-Uélés, HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention is one of the key areas of emphasis, while malaria treatment and prevention is a major focus in all areas.
Medair’s health services work in D.R. Congo is funded by EuropeAid, Cordaid NL, ECHO, and private donors.