In 2003, DoctorsWorldwide received an appeal from an NGO called RADEM based in Lubumbashi , the ‘City of Peace '. Lubumbashi is the main city in Katanga region has a population of approximately 7.2 million, of which 1.5 million are children under five. The city itself has around 1.2 million population. There are also a large number of Internally Displaced People living in the area due to conflicts in the north-east of the country. RADEM has been running a clinic from the area of Gambela. DWW started to support RADEM from January 2004.
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RADEM (Recherche et action pour un developpement multisectoriel) was established by Jibrill Kasongo and Dr Paul Mawaw joined later. They are now co-directors of RADEM. The people who work for RADEM are volunteers. DWW has been doing all of Congo projects with them. RADEM has very strong community support and very good relations with local health officials. For further information visit www.radem.org.
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CURRENT ACTIVITIES
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RADEM maternity clinic in Gambela / Lubumbashi : This is the first clinic set up by RADEM a local businessman donated this building for one year to use free of charge as a maternity centre.. It is in an underserved area of Lubumbashi with no other government or NGO clinic around. So it is vital for the local community. DWW initially paid rent for the building from January 2004 to Jn 2005. Following this the clinic was built ourtright.. This clinic currently provides maternity as well as child health and inpatient services to a population of approximately 11000 . After the opening of our new 40 bed hospital in Hewa Bora we have now decided to move inpatient facilities to the new hospital. Gambela clinic will continue to serve as an outpatient women and child health clinic with liited in-patient beds. In 2005 more than 2300 patients have been treated and more than 500 babies were born at this clinic (see records below).
ANNUAL EPIDEMIOLOGIC RECORD 2007
ANNUAL EPIDEMIOLOGIC REPORT 2006
Radem clinic records january 2005 to august 2005
Radem clinic records september 2005 to november 2005
Radem clinic records december 2005 to april 2006
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Minor operations (circumcision): DWW has done more than 80,000 minor ops in Katanga region by the end of January 2008. Using the forceps-guided method DWW has offered this service free of charge as part of its wider HIV prevention strategy. People come from 5-7 miles away on foot for this service. It was done in Lubumbashi as well as other towns (Likasi, Kipushi, Kolwezi , Kamina, Luena). RADEM volunteers also provide HIV education programmes as well as economic help and support to those adults and orphan victims of HIV/AIDS.
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Kamina maternity: Kamina is 700 km north of Lubumbashi . It is very poor part of Katanga .The population is around 115,000 and DWW opened a maternity clinic in November 2005 providing essential ante and post natal care.
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Hewa Bora Hospital : This new hospital is in a new residential area (Hewa Bora) which is princially made up of poor family homes, (one or two rooms barracks). the hospital has two buildings, one is surgical the other is a maternity wing. There are 40 beds in total and it is was opened on 17 June 2006. A British charity, Muslim Aid funded the lab, surgical equipment, and maternity equipment for the hospital.. This hospital will strengthen current HIV and malaria related programs, in addition to addressing other health issues and training.
- Nyonga mobile health clinics: Doctors Worldwide has started a project to help internally displaced people in Katanga region in Congo (DRC). Mayi-mayi guerrillas started rebellion against central government in northern Katanga (Bukama and Malemba/Nkulu territories) three months ago.They burned the villages and killed hundreds of people. Many people have fled from them to safe parts of Bukama and Malemba/Nkulu territories. There are 15,343 displaced people in Nyonga village (local population 12,866) and 5130 displaced people in Kibondo village (local population 11,800) in Bukama territory. Their homes and livestock were burned by guerrillas. They need food medicine and shelter urgently. DWW with local partner NGO RADEM rented houses in two villages to set up clinics from which mobile teams are dispatched. DWW/RADEM teams started work in March 2006 for an initial six month period. This project has been completed at the end of August 2006 as all the IDP s returned to their homes.
Click here to see Nyanga Video [7MB]
- Poverty Reduction Programme: DWW started nutritional help for children in rural areas. Funded by DWW-Turkey this provided meat to nearly20,000 families so far in 2006. The children are identified by local liaison officers who provide the food and will help enrol the children into education programmes and in the future medical screening programmes.
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Measles outbreak in Malemba-Nkulu territory: It was affecting more than ten villages. Around 3500 cases recorded in last couple of weeks and more than 150 children died.
Doctors Worldwide (DWW) sent 4 emergency medical teams to the area.
DWW teams treated 981 children in the area.
Project has been completed in July 2007.
Click here to see DWW measles mission
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NEW PROJECTS
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Ngoy Mani and Malemba Maternities: Ngoy Mani village located in MALEMBA-NKULU Territory , about 700 km from Lubumbashi via Bukama by train and by vehicle, there is also possibility of access by small aircraft. The local population estimated to 80.000, living in 32 small villages. It was a occupied region by local militias for more than 3 years. Houses and fields of crops were burned and destroyed, people were killed, and there is no clinic around. The nearest government hospital is located at 65 km in MALEMBA town and 90 km in KINKONDJA neighbouring territory of Bukama . DWW started to build maternity clinics in Ngoy Mani and Malemba town to improve maternal and child health in the area. Building of maternities have nearly finished and will be opened soon.
- Kasako maternity: Kasako town in SANDOA territoty. This town received many refugees from Angola for a long period, now as refugees returned home, the humanitarian medical assistance had been stopped. About 75,000 people living around had to walk for 45 to 50 km to find a maternity at government Hospital located in Sandoa city. DWW has started to build a maternity to improve maternal and child health in the area. Building of maternity is in progress.
- Villages of Hope project: This is a comprehensive relief package. DWW will build maternity to improve maternal and child health. Also provide safe drinking water through hygienic water wells. Provide mosquito nets against malaria. Provide food aid for families in need.. Set up schools in the area to improve literacy. Support money generating projects for families (support agriculture, provide cows and goats etc.) This project started in Lumata (15,000 population ) which is 54 Km south of Lubumbashi and then will be extended to a further 4 villages. DWW is seeking partnerships with other charities for this project particularly for non-health issues.Lumata maternity building is completed and will be opened soon.
- Anaemia project: DWW is planning to set up an anaemia-screening programme in Hewa Bora area (where the new hospital is built). The area is around 20,000 population. In Congo under-five population is around 18% of total population. There is high rate of intestinal parasites and malnutrition causing anaemia there. This will be a pilot study to collect information about the need and extend of the problems. After this project we can extend our work according to need.
In order to see DWW activities in Katanga region
at UN-OCHA report please click below link.
UN-OCHA Katanga 2007 Report
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Fact File
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Total population
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52,771,000 |
GDP per capita (Intl $, 2002)
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352 |
Life expectancy at birth m/f (years)
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42.0/ 47.0 |
Healthy life expectancy at birth m/f (years, 2002) |
35.0/ 39.1
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Child mortality m/f (per 1000)
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217/ 192 |
Adult mortality m/f (per 1000)
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578/ 452 |
Total health expenditure per capita (Intl $, 2002)
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14 |
Total health expenditure as % of GDP (2002)
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4.0 |
See More Facts...
(Source: WHO) |
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