Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Kinshasa (Fides Service)- “If we love our people we must not allow the sale of medicine which is out of date, counterfeit or too costly” said the Catholic Bishop Fidèle Nsielele of Kisantu in an interview with a local news agency DIA in which he said more effort was needed to provide good healthcare in his country. Kisantu is in the south western Lower Congo region of Democratic Congo.
Bishop Nsielele has experience of healthcare matters since he is director of St Luke’s Catholic Hospital in Kisantu and head of the diocesan Office for Medical Centres. “In my work I come into contact not only with Catholic health structures but also those run by other religious communities and the state” the Bishop said, underlining the Catholic Church’s important contribution in the field of healthcare in Congo. “I don’t know if you realise that 60 per cent of the country’s hospitals are Catholic” he said. “We have church run healthcentres all over the country and this shows that the interest of our diocese and our local Church is unquestionable”.
Kisantu diocesan Office for Medical Centres can be an example for other dioceses. “Diocesan methods of organising health care vary. Our method made a good impression on other bishops who sent their staff to learn from our experience” Bishop Nsielele said.
The Bishop said new needs always arise. “During in our meetings it emerged that many health centres, particularly non religious ones, lack medicines. To solve this problem our diocesan Office for Medical Centres decided to create a medicine store to make sure medicines are always available” the Bishop said and he added: “Our diocesan Office and that of Kananga and Caritas Office at Mbuji Mayi are part of a national programme to decentralise the distribution of medicines by means of Regional Centres”.
Regional Centres distribute medicines in their own area. A total number of 40 will be opened and already 10 are functioning. The regional centres are financed by the European Union, Belgium, the World Bank and other donors. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 24/5/2005 righe 33 parole 391)
