The donation includes screening means, reagents and laboratory equipment. An event which saw the participation of the President of the Republic, Félix Antoine Tshisekedi. In his speech, the Minister of Public Health, Hygiene and Social Welfare, Dr. Samuel Roger Kamba, indicated that this donation of medical equipment is worth 6 million US dollars, intended to improve diagnostic capabilities in seven provinces of the country. This initiative, he added, is part of the lessons learned from the management of previous epidemics, precisely that of Ebola in 2018 and Mpox, which highlighted the shortcomings of the Congolese health system. . The minister therefore stressed that unlike in past years, “after the epidemic will no longer be like before the epidemic “.
Citing the example of the management of Ebola in 2018, nearly one billion 200 million dollars were invested, he revealed, without any traceability and without having succeeded in strengthening the health system subsequently. Among the weaknesses identified are insufficient surveillance, late diagnoses, a limited number of laboratories and challenges in patient care. To strengthen the system, Dr Samuel Roger Kamba stressed the need to decentralize laboratories, an initiative which will be facilitated by this new equipment, as well as by the training of medical staff.
The Minister of Health also thanked the Africa CDC for its support in diagnosis and carrying out sequences, emphasizing the importance of international collaboration in the fight against epidemics. Thanking the President of the Republic for devoting his first activity of the year to this initiative, the minister affirmed that this demonstrates the constant concern of the Head of State to improve public health in the DRC. The equipment provided will enable selected provinces to implement daily basic diagnostics, thereby improving early detection of diseases and strengthening the response of the local health system.
This donation marks a turning point in the DRC’s approach to epidemics, emphasizing transparent and proactive management of resources intended for public health. Regarding the Mpox situation, the minister indicated that the country is currently at plateau level, which requires continued vigilance and sustained efforts to stem the spread of this disease.
Morocco
