Afronline – The Voice Of Africa

Efficiency and discipline have made public hospitals in western Kasai improve their cures’ quality in 13 out of 17 sanitary areas of the province. A positive turning point, obtained thanks to local and international organizations’ help.

For two years now in Kananga – just like in the whole of western Kasai – citizens have had easier access to health assistance. 13 out of 17 districts of the province have been helped by numerous organizations such as Health Net, CORDAID, Caritas Development Kananga, 9° FED (European Development Fund) of the European Union.

All of these organizations provide concrete help, mostly by giving beds and health material, while a relevant role is also played by patients’ reception in the hospitals.

“I didn’t have to wait more than five minutes when I arrived here. I even didn’t have to pay anything and I was visited by a doctor quickly. Just two years ago, this would have been unimaginable!” says Nkongolo Bakajika, a citizen of Mikalayi with enthusiasm.

Just as happy as the people is Pastor Dibelayi, who says that “before this change, nurses used to sell drugs to sick people. But now everyone has to go to the pharmacy with the doctor’s prescription. Discipline and rigours have been established”.

Less expensive cures

However, an important benefit has been obtained by the poorest social parts of the population: a tangible drop of rates in the health centres.

Doctor Bakambamba underlines that “in the past these people used to medicate with traditional plants, risking their lives”. Different sources of evidence have shown that while traditional medicine could be efficient in curing a cough, it is not so when it comes to fighting illnesses such as malaria.

In order to make cures accessible, a fund to help people pay health assistance has been created -the so-called FASS – which covers over 70% of the poorest people’s expenses and 80% of the sanitary staff’s salaries, a staff which is constantly educated with refresher courses.

At the hospital of Bunkonde, in the territory of Dibaya, 80 kilometres far from Kananga, Sister Véronique Tshibola, the sickbay director, works in the front line. “Since the introduction of the FASS fund we have been able to cure women and children that used to die because of malnutrition.” Progress is evident also in the chirurgical field: with 28,000 Congolese Francs – around 30 US dollars – patients can have a hernia operation and women give birth through a Ceasereaum. Only four years ago they would have had to pay 100 US dollars.

More frequented hospitals

According to a report published in October 2009, doctor Willy, the director of the BDOM/Caritas development project in Kananga, underlines that between 2007 and 2009 the access to health services increased. “The average has gone from 20% to 70% of the population. In the past, pregnant women did not come to hospital because of the high rates, but now they are allowed to follow medical consultations until childbirth.”

In order to reach the donors’ goals – which go from the improvement of the hospital quality to a better management of the hospital’s staff – numerous bonuses have been distributed. A doctor, whose normal salary amounts to 70 US dollars per month, could receive up to 300 US dollars as a bonus, but only if approved by the donors, doctor Calixte Katshi, the technical assistant of the project explained.

An example of the bonus comes from the ninth FED, which gave the hospital a new car.

“We try to improve people’s abilities to provide a real change in their lives,” says doctor Franck de Paepe, head of CORDAID in Kananga.

By Sister Julienne Emaleji – Syfia