Kinshasa, September 17th, 2025 (CPA).- The importance of humanity and ethical responsibility was reiterated on Wednesday in Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, to healthcare professionals following the death of a patient on September 8th due to negligence, according to a statement from the Ministry in charge of Public Health reached to the CPA.
‘The Minister in charge of Health has insisted on the importance of humanity and ethical responsibility of health professionals. He has firmly reminded that critical care must be provided urgently, without waiting for payment. An official fee schedule for treatments will be soon communicated to ensure transparency and fairness,’ it is read. ‘This meeting has highlighted the urgent need to reform the health system to ensure that access to care is an absolute priority, above all financial considerations,’ has added the source.
In order to ensure that hospitals are able to respond to emergencies, it was proposed that each facility should now have a contingency fund dedicated to urgent cases. According to the statement, a major fiscal measure has been announced to finance these initiatives, with a 2% tax to be applied to all imported products, with the exception of foodstuffs. With the aim of strengthening pre-hospital care, the Ministry has announced the launching of an intensive training programme in Morocco for 200 healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses and obstetric midwives. ‘They will be trained in management … by 50 mobile teams equipped with a total of 150 motorcycles and 65 ambulances, ready to respond quickly,’ has indicated the source.
The Minister in charge of public health, quoted in the press release has recalled that, even if some health facilities are private, they have an obligation to provide a public service and cannot under any circumstances refuse care to a patient in critical condition. He has specified that there is a ministerial decree that formally prohibits the refusal of care to critical patients. To improve the coordination and accessibility of this care, Dr Kamba has noted that a telephone platform with the emergency number 151 will be set up to enable the population to report emergencies and obtain help quickly, believing that the development of the country is inseparable from improving the health of the Congolese people. He has also mentioned that 240 health centres built in partnership with the World Bank have been completed and are now awaiting their inauguration before being made available to the population. CPA/