HIGHLIGHTS
- Congolese health services are difficult to access, and key healthy behaviors are not practiced routinely.
- Abt, USAID, and the DRC are building the capacity to deliver quality integrated health services.
- Together, we’re addressing nutrition, malaria, RMNCH, family planning, reproductive health, tuberculosis, COVID, water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), and governance needs for millions.
The Challenge
Despite progress in health indicators, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) remains among the lowest-ranked countries in health outcomes such as maternal and neonatal mortality and vaccination coverage. Root causes include fiscal and capacity constraints, armed conflicts, gender and cultural norms, and structural barriers, including distances to health facilities and limited transportation options. Aggravating these constraints, new provinces were created in 2015 without the systems, structures, resources or staff to operate effectively.
The Approach
Abt Global is providing programmatic, technical, and operational support and capacity building to the government, health facilities, health workers, civil society organizations, and communities to reach vulnerable populations in nine target provinces. Our common goal: sustainable improvements in health systems and the capacity for, quality of, and demand for health services. The USAID Integrated Health Program works with provincial and health zone authorities and facilities, establishes integrated community care management sites, and facilitates innovation in policies, processes, technologies, clinical services, and planning.
The Results
The USAID Integrated Health Program works with DRC counterparts to improve health by enhancing the quality and volume of health services and improving the health-seeking behavior of target populations. From October 2021 to September 2022 alone, USAID IHP catalyzed better health outcomes with the following results:
- 7.1 million newborns received care in health facilities within three days of birth
- 7 million children under 12 months received three doses of the pentavalent vaccine for common childhood diseases
- 7.9 million insecticide-treated bednets distributed to families
- 6.2 million new users adopted modern family planning methods
- 26.7 million children benefitted from nutrition programming and assistance
- 93.2% therapeutic success rate for 322,294 people with pulmonary tuberculosis
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