DRC: AIDS continues to kill due to lack of resources for care

(illustration) The city center of Lubumbashi in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 2.5 Oasisk

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3 min

In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the figures are alarming….

42% of AIDS patients admitted to Lubumbashi provincial hospital die due to lack of money for treatment.

These statistics were presented during Scientific Days, organized jointly by the Higher Institute of Medical Techniques of Lubumbashi and the Technical University of M'siri.

They ended on Saturday, August 21, in the town of Bunkeya, 192 km from Lubumbashi.

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With our correspondent in Lubumbashi,

Denise Maheho

This mortality rate is considered high by the doctor in charge of the HIV service in this provincial hospital in Lubumbashi because UNAIDS has set itself the goal, at the global level, of reducing by more than half the cases of related deaths. HIV / AIDS and eliminate this virus by 2030.

The problem of the cost of care

In the DRC, AIDS patients only receive antiretrovirals (ARVs) free of charge.

For other infections, they have to bear the cost of care themselves, but most of them cannot because of lack of money, and moreover, health insurance does not exist.

This is the case of 23-year-old Jessica, whom she met in Lubumbashi a few days ago.

Suffering from AIDS, she must also seek treatment after an appendicitis operation which was unsuccessful: “ 

Two weeks after the operation, the wound reopened.

Subsequently, part of the intestine ended up outside.

I need a bandage for the dressing and some medical powder.

I don't have the money to buy it.

 », A situation which leads some patients to death.

Don't forget to take care of the sick

According to Dr. Damas Ngoy Kyulu, doctor in charge of the AIDS service at Sendwe hospital in Lubumbashi, out of 63 patients hospitalized in this medical structure in 2019, more than half died: “ 

We plead for the introduction into the health system of free treatment of opportunistic infections for PLWHA.

Thus, as soon as the patients arrive at the hospital, we have medicines, we have inputs, we take care of them free of charge.

Then we can reduce the death rate

 ”.

The participants in the Bunkeya scientific days ask that in this period of Covid-19, the care of HIV / AIDS patients not be forgotten.

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• DRC

• AIDS