Republic of Congo

After more than a decade of war and unrest, the Republic of Congo has now completed its fourth year of post-conflict negotiations. The formal cessation of armed hostilities has allowed the resumption of economic activities concentrated principally in the oil town of Pointe Noire and the capital, Brazzaville. The Ministry of Health has now taken responsibility for healthcare in the Pool region. The situation is no longer considered an emergency and MSF has therefore started handing over some activities.

However, medical needs are still numerous in Mindouli and Kindamba, in the Pool region, where malaria, respiratory infections, diarrhea, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis (TB) are prevalent. The country remains prone to outbreaks of infectious disease.

MSF provided integrated healthcare in the hospitals of Mindouli and Kindamba. Services ranged from outpatient care, maternal care and treatment of infectious diseases such as TB and HIV to voluntary-care treatment for HIV/ AIDS, psychosocial counseling and emergency surgical care. Overall, MSF conducted over 78,000 consultations.

MSF handed over the screening and treatment of sleeping sickness patients to the Ministry of Health, though we will remain available to provide assistance if required. MSF also provided healthcare through its mobile clinics to communities surrounding the towns of Mindouli and Kindamba.

Responding to cholera outbreak

In late January, an outbreak of cholera was identified in the city of Pointe Noire and a few weeks later in Brazzaville. MSF supported the Ministry of Health by reinforcing an isolation area for patients and providing medicines, medical training and water and sanitation materials and expertise.

Project handover

In June, MSF announced that it would hand over its activities and leave the country by mid-2008. To ensure continuity of its medical services, MSF will strive to identify other partners, including local non-governmental organizations and the United Nations, to support the Ministry of Health in the Pool region. MSF will also support the Ministry of Health to address small pockets of high incidence of sleeping sickness identified during the final project evaluation of 2008.

MSF has worked in the Republic of Congo since 1997.

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