FBOs and the
Ministry of Health
in DR Congo
by Leon Kintaudi
ECC-DOM
Protestant Church
of Congo (ECC)
 ECC includes 64 protestant communities
 ECC member communities own and manage
more than 80 hospitals and 600 health centers
 ECC manages 59 of Congo’s 306 health zones
(Catholics manage 89 health zones)
Public vs. Private Sectors
Public Sector
Not-for-Profit
In many countries Churchmanaged health services are
considered private sector
competitors to the MOH.
Private Sector
For-Profit
Church-Managed
Health Services
??
Public, Private & FBO Sectors
FBO-Managed
Private Sector
Public Sector
Private Sector
Not-for-Profit Not-for-Profit
For-Profit
In Congo, the MOH
delegates management
of many health zones
to Church-managed
health services.
Catholic Bishop, ECC Director
with Governor of Bas Congo
FBO Contributions in policy
development for human resources
Since the beginning of primary
health care activities, ECC has
played a major role in planning
and implementing policies
together with MOH.
Examples of ECC & MOH Collaboration
 Organization of a national
“Alma Ata” workshop (1975)
 Creation of pilot health zones
between 1976-1982
 70% of the first 100 HZs were
created by churches (1992-84)
1975 National Workshop
organized by the Churches

Agreed on a strategy for co-management
of health services from Government and
Church reference hospitals.

Adopted concepts of decentralized Health
Zones and integrated medicine (primary
health care).
The 400 Hospitals in Congo (c. 1960)
In 1975 the
MOH began
transforming
400 scattered
hospitals into
decentralized
Health Zones.
Pilot Health Zones (1975-1981)
Health Zones (1982)
Health Zones (1984)
before delimitation of Health Zones
Health Zones (1984)
after delimitation of Health Zones
Typical Health Zone
More Church Initiatives
 ECC participated in the 1985 Mbanza Ngungu
conference for new PHC orientations
 ECC played a major role in the delimitation of
515 new zones through SANRU III (2002-03)
 SANRU III organized a national conference
and served as pilot program in adoption
Community-Based IMCI (2003-05)
2003 SANRU National Colloquium
Rebuilding PHC in DRC
ECC, SANRU III & Policy Making
 Organized two national conferences to
introduce ITNs (2004)
 Initiated a new technical tool for HIV
patient which was adopted by PNLP in 2005
 Elaboration of new guide lines for nutrition
activities (with UNICEF & PRONANUT)
HIV/AIDS & Family Planning
 SANRU III project played a major role in assisting
MOH with MAP (2002-2003)
 SANRU III &
Advance Africa
held a national
conference (2004)
to reposition
Family Planning
in DR Congo.
Contributions in
Human Resource Development
 ECC was the first to train nurses on the job
and has produced the best in the country
 ECC runs many of DRC’s nursing schools
 SANRU I/II sponsored doctors for MPHs.
Many have played a major role in PHC.
 ECC and SANRU III have trained 3,962 health
personnel (nurses, doctors, administrators)
Training of Nurses
On the job training at Moanza hospital
Nurses Training (Nsona Mpangu HZ)
Training in Vanga HZ (2002-2003)
Family physician training
 ECC is pioneering training family
physicians in with MEDUNSA
(Medical University of S. Africa).
 Doctors receive MFam –Med degree
after 4 years of training.
Surgery Rotation at Vanga hospital
Public Health School in Kinshasa
 ECC through SANRU helped create the
school public health at UNIKIN (State
University of Kinshasa)
 To better equip Health Zone Medical
Directors as primary health personnel,
SANRU I, II and III supported over 100
doctors for this special training.
ECC& Health Professionals Retention
There is a big problem in DR Congo with:
- Retention of well train personnel
- SANRU III trained 27 MDs at the SPH,
but only 17 returned to their HZs.
- Most were lost to int’l organizations and
other countries, e.g., South Africa
Mechanisms for Retention by ECC
 Primes to health workers
 Housing
 Specialty training for physicians
 Means of transport if needed
 Learning tools, Internet access, etc.
Vanga Learning and Information Center
Houses built for doctors in Vanga
Rebuilding Health in
Congo is an essential
collaboration between
FBOs and MOH
Thank you very much
for listening and
for your patience!