Kinshasa, February 22nd, 2026 (CPA).- Two hundred and forty-two (242) new doctors took the Hippocratic Oath (the foundational text of medical ethics, traditionally sworn before practicing medicine) on Saturday during a ceremony organized in Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). “To date, 242 new doctors have been registered on the roll of the Medical Council (TOM). We have accelerated procedures within the Medical Council, which has made it possible to reduce the backlog, because we insist that universities submit academic documents on time and the candidates’ files were processed very quickly,” said Dr. Berthier Nsadi, President of the National Council of the Medical Order.
He indicated that from now on, the Order will work with a relatively manageable number so that the ceremony regains its solemn character. “We clarified the expectations by defining the Medical Order and its expectations toward the new doctors. We briefly addressed four essential points, namely: moral integrity (the doctor must uphold humanistic values), medical competence, the obligation of continuing medical education, and of course respect for human life,” he added. Dr. Nsadi emphasized that each oath-taking ceremony is important for the Medical Order because it is a moment when the profession renews and perpetuates itself by welcoming new members to ensure the future. For his part, Dr. Elvis Bula, President of the Urban Council of the Medical Order (CUOM), stated that this ceremony marks a decisive turning point in the lives of the new doctors. “It is the culmination of long years of study, sacrifices, late nights, examinations and sometimes demanding internships, but even more, the beginning of a noble mission: to heal, relieve and sometimes comfort when curing is no longer possible,” he explained. “You are no longer merely medical graduates. You become physicians entrusted with an immense social, moral and human responsibility,” he continued.