Kinshasa, May 10th, 2026 (CPA). – The implementation of public policies
aiming the early diagnosis of lupus has been recommended on Sunday in Kinshasa, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), by the Congolese Society of Rheumatology, in an interview on the occasion of World Lupus Day, celebrated every May 10th. “We recommend to the Congolese State to implement public policies that aim the early diagnosis of lupus. This disease, which is present in our community, is associated with multiple complications that can be potentially fatal,” has declared Dr Aldo Mavinga, rheumatologist and secretary of the Congolese Society of Rheumatology. “We also suggest to them to get involved to make available the various treatment options, ranging from the simplest to the most complex, in order to improve patients’ quality of life,” he has added. According to this specialist, 90% of patients affected by lupus are women, aged between 15 and 45 years. This disease, he has said, affects the young woman of childbearing age. It very rarely affects the male sex, and when it does, it is often in a very severe form. He has explained that lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease, meaning that the immune system attacks its own tissues, causing inflammation and damage to organs such as the skin, joints, kidneys, heart, lungs, etc. “Its clinical manifestations are very varied, which is why it is known as the disease with a thousand faces, as each patient develops it in its own way. Its symptoms notably include: joint pain, intense fatigue, skin lesions that can affect the face, anaemia, fever, swelling of the feet, etc.,” he has said. Dr Mavinga has explained that the cause of lupus is unknown, but there are many suspected risk factors such as exposure to sunlight, tobacco, viral infections, hormonal factors, etc. “Lupus is a chronic disease, and its management is a long-term process; therefore, the patient and their entire support network must accept and come to terms with this situation,” he has argued. In his view, the best management involves early diagnosis based on the symptoms mentioned above, as well as the use of locally available medications to control the disease. Dr Mavinga has emphasised that management remains a multidisciplinary process, with the rheumatologist at its centre. He is supported by dermatologists, nephrologists and cardiologists, as several organs may be affected. He has, on this occasion, called on the population to seek medical advice as soon as possible if they experience clinical manifestations that may include symptoms of lupus. ACP/