AFRICA/DEMOCRATIC CONGO - Catholic Bishop receives award for commitment in the field of health care and the struggle to eradicate illegal sale of medicines

Friday, 1 June 2007

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Kinshasa (Agenzia Fides)- A Catholic Bishop in Congo has received an important award in teh field of healthcare. Bishop Fidèle Nsielele of the diocese of Kisantu, was awarded the “Galien d'honneur” by Congolese pharmacists for his efforts to eradicate the illegal sale of medicines often counterfeit and dangerous. The local Kinshasa news agency DIA said the Bishop received the award on 28 May from two pharmacists who are government ministers vice health minister Ferdinand Ntwa and vice transport and communications minister Marie Laure Kawanda.
Bishop Nsielele is president of the council of administration of the “Fédération des Centrales d'Approvisionnement en Médicaments Essentiels” (FEDECAME), a structure charged with distributing medicines all over the country. FEDECAME has four regional centres in Kisantu, Mbujimayi, Kananga and Goma. FEDECAME purchases in RDC and abroad the drugs for the regional pharmacies. This system had lowered the prices of treatment while guaranteeing quality care for patients.
When he received the award the Bishop illustrated his diocese's activity in the field of healthcare and he said the local Catholic community flanks the state to promote health education among the people. In Congo there is a parallel market of drugs which are often counterfeit and harmful.
In Democratic Congo the Church runs 255 hospitals, 1,858 dispensaries, 35 centres for people with leprosy and 140 homes for the aged and persons with a disability (source: Catholic Statistic Annual 2005). (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 1/6/2007 righe 26 parole 306)