Kinshasa, August 10th, 2025 (CPA).– The government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has reaffirmed on Sunday in Kinshasa its commitment to strengthening the country’s health resilience to cholera and other epidemic emergencies during an update and advocacy meeting attended by several technical and financial partners. ‘This meeting aimed to establish an integrated and sustainable response to epidemics through the coordination of actions and the adoption of autonomous financing mechanisms,’ has declared Dr Samuel Roger Kamba, Minister in charge of Public Health, Hygiene and Social Welfare.
According to him, the response must be integrated and permanent within a structure that takes into account all epidemics, including cholera, measles and Ebola, before praising the creation of the National Institute of Public Health (INSP) as a key tool for the resilience of the Congolese health system. He has advocated for multisectorial collaboration, announcing that a meeting will soon be held with the general secretaries of the various ministries to review the multisectorial plan for Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
In terms of financing, he has reminded us of the reforms currently underway, including the introduction of a 2% tax on imported products, with the exception of agricultural and food products, as well as a 2.5% contribution on the salaries of workers in the formal sector (2% paid by the employer and 0.5% paid by the employee). These domestic resources, he has stressed, will enable DRC to reduce its dependence on external aid and align its partners with its priorities. Dr Kamba has also insisted on taking into account the multiple causes of cholera, beyond contaminations linked to the river, such as contaminations linked to rainfall in marshy areas. He has also emphasised the integration of community health workers as an integral part of the health system.
In closing the meeting, he has thanked Dr Jean Kaseya, general director of Africa CDC, and other partners for their support and highlighted the progress made in reducing cholera cases, while calling for continued commitment to making the health sector a driver of national development. CPA/