Access to healthcare no better now than during the war

There is no longer armed conflict in most of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) but people there have no more access to healthcare now that than they did at the height of the war in 2001, according to results of surveys in five health zones published on Tuesday by the NGO Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF).

"The findings of the surveys are disturbing," MSF said in a statement released for the survey report titled "Access to healthcare, mortality and violence in the DRC".

Between 45 percent and 67 percent of the people interviewed in the survey said they had no access to basic medical care.

"The mortality rates indicate an ongoing emergency situation in four of the five zones surveyed," MSF said.

"Even more worrying is that the indicators for three of the five zones point to a catastrophic health crisis, including in regions unaffected by conflict and violence," it added.

MSF conducted the five epidemiological surveys from March to May 2005 in the health zones of Kilwa, Inongo, Basankusu, Lubutu, Bunkeya, each located in different regions of the country.

The NGO had conducted similar surveys in three of the zones in 2001. It found that people had less access to health care in two of the zones, Inongo and Kilwa.

MSF Director of Operations for the Great Lakes region Meinie Nicolai said people were dying in areas of continued conflict but, "Abject poverty and hardship are claiming just as many lives."

MSF said most of the victims were suffering and dying from infectious diseases such as malaria, respiratory diseases and diarrhoeal diseases, "all of which are avoidable".

The survey also found that even in those areas where there is some health care most people could not afford to pay for the services. "Even a very low flat fee contribution remains an insurmountable barrier for many people," Nicolai said.

Most Congolese live on the equivalent of US $0.30 per day, MSF said. "As a result," it added, "people only seek health care when it is often too late."