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Collaboration brings cool comfort to the DRC


Copyright:2008/DRC/Asselin

In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where violence has broken out again, GAVI funding helps the national health service and civil society organisations work together to build a logistics lifeline, stretching from the national vaccine store in the capital city of Kinshasa to health clinics in remote, rural villages.

 
Carrying a cool-box packed with life-saving vaccines, nurse Fortunate Mbuyi climbs on to his motorbike and kick-starts the engine before setting off for a local health clinic in the remote Dibindi zone of DRC.

In war-ravaged DRC, where vaccines must run a gauntlet of equatorial heat, flooded roads and damaged hospitals to reach their final destination, logistics is a major obstacle to health care.

Only one province is accessible by road. The remaining ten rely on airlifts, with vaccines distributed to the field by canoe, bicycle or on foot.

Vital role

DRC’s Ministry of Health has long recognised the vital role of civil society organisations in delivering vaccines to children in remote, rural villages as well as training health workers in the field.

In 2007, GAVI reinforced this collaboration, when DRC became the first developing country to benefit from the Alliance’s special funding for civil society organisations and national health services.


Copyright:2008/DRC/Asselin

Cold chain

The funds help efforts by civil society organisations to repair damaged and dilapidated clinics and hospitals as well as strengthen the so-called cold chain – the logistical lifeline which ensures vaccines remain cool at every stage of their loing journey from the cold stores in Kinshasa and provincial capitals to the ‘shot in the arm’ at local health clinics.

“GAVI funds have helped make sure all parts of the cold chain have constant access to power to keep the vaccines at the right temperature,” says Fortunate.

Big difference

Later in the day, vaccines delivered by Fortunate reach Christine Nyali Lomata’s youngest son at the Barumbu mother and child centre in Kinshasa province for vaccination.

GAVI in the Democratic Republic of Congo


Since GAVI first started providing support to the DRC, the World Health Organization estimates that DTP3 coverage (the percentage of one-year-olds immunised with three doses of diphtheria, tetanus toxoid and pertussis or whooping cough vaccine) has climbed from 49 percent to 80 percent. GAVI support for the yellow fever vaccine has had a similar impact on national immunisation levels.

In 2007, DRC became the first developing country to be approved for GAVI’s so-called Health System Strengthening (HSS) and Civil Society Organisation (CSO) support.

“I have three children. There is a big difference between what the first and last child received,” says Christine. “The first, born in 1998, only got one vaccine against measles. This one, born this year, now gets vaccines against measles and yellow fever and some other diseases, and also vitamin A.”

Good Collaboration

“Good collaboration makes sure that we use our resources wisely. It lets us accomplish a lot in the field,” says Shodu Lomani, Minister of Health in DRC’s Kasai Oriental province.

“We have enormous problems that are outside our control. If we were to try to address them alone, we wouldn’t get very far.”