Kinshasa: 100 children receive free visceral surgery in Kalembelembe

Kinshasa, July 2^nd, 2025 (CPA). – On Wednesday, around 100 children aged between 0 and 17 benefited from free visceral surgery as part of a campaign called ‘matunzo ni uzima’ at the Kalembelembe paediatric hospital in the Lingwala district of Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo. ‘One hundred children benefited from this free campaign out of 220 children consulted. There were no complications and the operations went well,’ said Binakabidi Herbert, head nurse of the surgery department. According to him, the resources at their disposal did not allow them to treat more than 100 children, emphasizing that the remaining children will be treated during the next campaign. ‘We will start with them because they are already in our database waiting list. The procedures began on May 27^th and ended on July 1^st,’ he continued. This campaign covers operations (surgical procedures) such as: anorectal malformations (high and low), Hirschsprung’s disease (an abnormality of the large intestine (colon) that complicates the passage of stools), peritoneo-vaginal canal pathologies (hernias, cryptorchidism, etc.), restoration of intestinal continuity (ileostomy, colostomy), etc. This visceral and digestive surgery campaign, which focuses primarily on treating conditions of the abdomen and pelvis, i.e. the ‘lower abdomen’, has received financial support from the Vinmart Foundation, a partner organization based in Lubumbashi in Haut-Katanga, south-east DRC. This organization advocates free healthcare and assistance for vulnerable people.