Congo's infrastructure and health system are in ruins. The lack of government funds and foreign aid means that 100 districts are left without any outside funding. Life expectancy is 45 years, and one in four children will die before they reach the age of five. Large parts of the country are inaccessible to humanitarian assistance. Against this backdrop, MSF provides medical relief in several provinces, working in government-held areas as well as territory controlled by rebels.
Teams work side by side with Congolese health professionals, in a climate of urgency and insecurity.
Controllable diseases are spreading The disintegration of the health system and the ongoing ravages of war have encouraged an explosion of disease in the country. In order to respond quickly to disease outbreaks, MSF has helped set up a national emergency response team, made up of Congolese doctors, in Kinshasa. There are similar teams in Lubumbashi, Mbandaka, Kisangani, Goma and Bukavu. MSF runs a program combating sleeping sickness in several health zones in Equateur province. A similar program in Bas Congo was suspended because of security concerns.