REPUBLIC OF
CONGO
Health Sector Needs Assessment
The instability in the Great Lakes region
has brought tens of thousand of refugees
from the region's wars to seek safe haven
in the Republic of Congo's (RoC) northern
areas. There are over 100,000 IDPs and
over 70,000 refugees in RoC. Since 1999,
the succession of wars in the RoC, specifi-
cally in the Pool region, has caused signifi-
cant destruction and loss of life: schools,
health infrastructure and services, roads,
and water and power supplies no longer
exist because of destruction or looting
during the conflict.
Health infrastructure: Over half of
health posts in the Pool region have been
destroyed or looted of equipment, drugs,
and roof materials. Out of the sixteen health infrastructures that were operating in
the Pool district, only nine are partially functioning. In Kinkala district, the conflict has
destroyed thirteen health centres and only twelve infrastructures remain operational.
Remaining clinics lack equipment, drugs, laboratories, blood banks, and viable epidemio-
logical surveillance and health information systems. Another major constraint is the lack
of qualified staff, which limits health coverage in the whole region.
Disease surveillance and control: The population of the Pool does not have access
to potable water. Consequently, incidences of water-borne diseases and gastrointesti-
nal infections are high. Preventable diseases like malaria and respiratory infections are
ravaging the region's population. Over one-third of morbidity rates are due to malaria.
The poor nutritional and health status of the population combined with the destruction
of their traditional coping mechanisms and communities has resulted in high mortality
rates as result of these diseases. Non-existent to poor vaccination coverage in the Pool
region has meant high child mortality rates. In this region, average immunization rates
are estimated to be two-thirds of those of the country.
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Health Sector Priorities for 2005
Øehabilitate basic social and health structures and improve health coverage care in
the Pool region
·Provide training for health personnel
Øeduce maternal and children mortality
Ïevelop an epidemiological sentinel surveillance and nutritional monitoring system
Øehabilitate the health information system
Øeduce incidence of serious diseases: malaria, upper respiratory infections, diarrhoea
Øeduce HIV and STI transmission
·Progressive establishment of the Programme to Enlarge Vaccination (PEV)
©trengthen coordination in the health sector
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Reproductive health: The quality of reproductive health facilities has also dramatically
deteriorated, resulting in appalling high maternal mortality rates. Thousands of women
and young girls who have been victims of sexual violence during the conflict lack the ad-
equate assistance and psychological care. The HIV/AIDS prevalence, which is estimated
at 5 % in the entire country and at 2.6% in Kikala, may significantly deteriorate as a
consequence of the sexual violence perpetrated in the region.

WHO Proposed Projects for 2005
Funds
Requested
Implementing
Partners
Reduce HIV and STD transmission [ROC-
05/H02]
US$ 209,880
MoH, UNICEF,
UNFPA, MSF,
CAM, other NGOs
Strengthening of reproductive health servic-
es in health facilities of the Pool Region (Re-
ducing maternal mortality) [ROC-05H01B]
Other appealing agency: UNFPA [see R0C-
05/H01A-B]
US$ 163,240
MoH, UNICEF,
MSF, CAM, UDA,
other NGOs
Coordination in the health sector [ROC-
05/H07]
US$ 256,520
MoH, UN agen-
cies, NGOs
Reinforcing access to quality health services
to meet the health needs of the affected
communities [ROC-05/H08]
US$ 664,620
MoH, UNICEF,
UNFPA, MSF,
CAM, other NGOs
Reduce excess mortality and morbidity due
to hard environmental conditions related to
the humanitarian situation [ROC-05H0/09B]
Other appealing agency: UNICEF [see R0C-
05/H09A-B]
US$ 268,180
MoH, UNFPA,
MSF, CAM, other
NGOs
Relaunching PEV Activities [ROC-05/H06A]
Other appealing agency: UNFPA [see R0C-
05/H06A-B]
US$ 81,620
Pool Health De-
partment Office,
PEV operational
sector, Pool com-
munities
Strengthen health partner capacity for case
management of sexual violence [ROC-05/
H10]
US$ 186,560
MoH, UNICEF,
UNFPA, MSF,
CAM, other NGOs
Strengthen health information focusing on
early warning system related to epidemic-
potential diseases [ROC-05/H11]
US$ 472,230
MoH, UNICEF,
UNFPA, MSF,
CAM, other NGOs
Total Funds Requested: US$ 2,302,850
2004 Health Sector Major Donors: Australia, Belgium, Canada, European
Commission, Japan, Norway, Sweden, United States
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