News

Survey – Provision of healthcare services for neglected tropical diseases and leprosy in church health facilities

In 2023, EPN in collaboration with its member in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Eglise du Christ au Congo, Synode du Sud-Kivu-Department of Medical Works (DOM-ECC South Kivu), conducted a survey to assess availability of leprosy management services in church health facilities. The survey sought to;

  1.  Assess the current availability & utilization of leprosy management services in church health facilities
  2.  Identify barriers and challenges that church health facilities face in providing leprosy management services
  3.  Explore the perceptions and attitudes present around the disease
  4.  Support evidence-based decision making & resource allocation in order to improve leprosy management services in church health facilities.

This was conducted in 61 selected health facilities in South-Kivu, North-Kivu, Maniema and Tanganyika provinces of the DRC.

Key findings

  1. Health facilities faced significant challenges in addressing leprosy and other neglected tropical diseases including lack of adequate training health workers on patient sorting procedures and treatment and inadequate laboratory resources
  2. A significantly high number of patients took too long before seeking care.
  3. There was a close association of leprosy to socio-cultural beliefs such as; bad luck, witchcraft, sorcery, curse, malice, shameful disease, poverty, taboo, natural disease, incurable disease.

Conclusion

The survey provided valuable insights into the current situation and challenges related to leprosy control and elimination in the country. It demonstrated the need for awareness campaigns to increase knowledge and understanding of leprosy, leprosy surveillance systems to improve data collection and reporting, training of healthcare worker and multi-actor collaboration towards elimination of leprosy

These findings and recommendations will serve as EPN’s foundation for interventions aimed at reducing the burden of leprosy and improving the lives of affected individuals and communities in DRC.

In the videos below, listen to the voices of survivors of leprosy in Eastern DRC and learn about the ongoing effort to address challenges around leprosy in the region (the videos are currently available in French language).