Democratic Republic of the Congo

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) country profile provides an overview of the community health system in the DRC according to the most up-to-date policies available. It particularly focuses on the country’s community health providers, the structures that support them, and the services they deliver across many health areas – with a spotlight on family planning. The profile is targeted towards policymakers, program implementers, donors, researchers, and others interested in the country’s community health system.

The table below captures key information from the full, downloadable country profile. The complete CHS Catalog data set is also available for download, including information for the DRC.

Community Health Quick Stats

Main Community Health Policy / Strategy | Last Updated
  • Health Zone Standards for Integrated Mother, Newborn and Child Health Interventions in the DRC (Normes de la zone de santé relatives aux interventions intégrées de santé de la mère, du nouveau-né, et de l’enfant en RDC) | 2012
  • National Health Development Plan (PNDS) 2016–2020 (Plan national de développement sanitaire) | 2016
  • Procedural Manual for Community Structures and Approaches (Manuel des procédures des structures et approches communautaires) | 2016
  • Strategic Framework for Community Participation in the DRC (Cadre stratégique de la participation communautaire en RDC) | 2016
Number of Community Health Provider Cadres

1 main cadre: relais communautaires (RECO)
Recommended Number of Community Health Providers

Information not available in policy
Estimated Number of Community Health Providers

Information not available in policy
Recommended Ratio of Community Health Providers to Beneficiaries

1 RECO: 50 households
Community-Level Data Collection Yes
Levels of Management of Community-Level Service Delivery

National, provincial, health district, health area, community
Key Community Health Program(s)

Programs across different health areas (e.g., reproductive health and nutrition) have community components.

Key Policies and Strategies

Directorate of Primary Health Development, Ministry of Public Health, Democratic Republic of the Congo. 2016. Cadre stratégique de la participation communautaire en RDC. Kinshasa: Ministry of Public Health.

———. 2012. Normes de la zone de santé relative aux interventions intégrées de santé de la mère, du nouveau-né et de l’enfant en République Démocratique du Congo. Kinshasa: Ministry of Public Health.

Ministry of Public Health, Democratic Republic of the Congo. 2001. Politique nationale de la santé. Kinshasa: Ministry of Public Health (accessed May 2017).

———. 2007. Site des soins communautaires: guide de mise en oeuvre (PDF, 838 KB). Kinshasa: Ministry of Public Health (accessed May 2017).

———. 2010. Liste nationale des medicaments essentiels. Kinshasa: Ministry of Public Health (accessed May 2017).

———. 2011. Guide de surveillance épidémiologique. Kinshasa: Ministry of Public Health.

———. 2012. Carnet de santé de l’enfant de 0 à 5 ans. Kinshasa: Ministry of Public Health.

———. 2012. Protocole de prise en charge de la malnutrition aigüe. Kinshasa: Ministry of Public Health.

———. 2016. Plan national de développement sanitaire 2016–2020: vers la couverture sanitaire universelle. Kinshasa: Ministry of Public Health (accessed June 2017).

National Multisectoral Program for the Fight against AIDS (PNMLS), Democratic Republic of the Congo. 2014. Plan stratégique national de Lutte contre le VIH et le sida 2014–2017. Kinshasa: PNMLS.