Introduction: This study aims to describe the perceptions of stakeholders involved in the management of the twelfth Ebola virus disease outbreak in North Kivu; in order to identify the contributing factors of its containment and management in less than 3 months. Methods: This descriptive and cross-sectional study used interviews guided by comprehensive questionnaire among all the stakeholders involved in the management of the twelfth Ebola virus disease, including health managers, healthcare providers, community leaders, heath partners and any other actors involved in the emergency response to outbreaks. Data analysis was performed using IBM SPSS version 23.0 for both coding and statistical analyses of collected data. Results: Based on the perceptions of different stakeholders who compared the tenth and twelfth outbreaks, the management of the latter was characterized by fewer funding and training of staff; a better understanding of local socio-cultural variations and needs (97.2%, versus 9.1%; p<0,001), a clear tracking and follow-up of contacted and/or suspected cases (91.5% versus 66.7%; p<0,001), a greater community involvement and application of standard operating measures implemented by the emergency team (80.3% versus 66.7%; p<0,001); and a proper management of cases of Ebola virus disease (both confirmed, suspected or contacted) (94.1% versus 66.7%; p<0,001). Conclusions: Our findings reveal that the integrative approach response into the local health system, which strengthened community engagement and trust in the emergency response ‘teams, enabled the rapid containment of the twelfth Ebola virus disease outbreak in North Kivu, in Democratic Republic of Congo. This approach is part of a new paradigm compatible with the health system resilience.

A multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted, between May and July 2021 before any anti-Covid-19 vaccination program implementation, among 720 staff working in six hospitals in the province of North Kivu in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.The aim of the study was to determine the seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies.Individual data on socio-demographic and professional parameters and wearing mask were collected on the basis of a standard form. A blood sample was taken for qualitative determination of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies using immuno-chromatographic “Panbio COVID-19 IgG/IgM Device (25T)” kits.The overall IgG/IgM sero-prevalence was 32.9% (n = 720). This seroprevalence among hospital staff was not significantly associated with their age, gender, professional category, department to which they were assigned in the hospital, or location in a rural or urban setting of their hospitals, nor to the systematic wearing of masks.Among hospital staff who reported contact with a Covid-19 patient, seroprevalence was twice as high at service on the workplace 32.6% (n = 282) [(PR (95% CI)], [2.30 (1.46 – 2.95)] (p = 0.001).In conclusion, the anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies seropositivity level among service providers in hospitals in North Kivu province in Eastern DRC is high and that contamination seems more than half as frequent in a professional hospital environment as at the level of the family unit.

Introduction: In connection with the reform of the intermediate level of the health system in the DRC, this article describes the perceptions of health district teams, regarding to intermediate health level support, in North Kivu province. Methodology: This descriptive cross-sectional study conducted a self-administered questionnaire survey of senior staff in 34 health districts in North Kivu. The collected data was encoded and analyzed using SPSS version 26 software. Results: More than 85% of health district managers (29/34 districts) view positively the support and coaching at the intermediate level, in terms of the adequacy of the accompanying object, the gradient of the competences of the supervisors, the capacity building, the support for problem-solving and the progress on the path of revitalization of health districts. On the other hand, these perceptions are nuanced about the availability of framers, the frequency of accompanying visits, the juxtaposition of these visits on other activities and the effects on the use of services and the protection of users from financial risks. These perceptions do not vary by gender, age, occupational categories, and seniority in function and within the health district (p>0.05). Discussion and conclusion: These results show the value of more coherence, proactivity and responsiveness in support and reform of the intermediate level, to strengthen its impact on the performance of health district teams.

Recognizing the dichotomy between innate and acquired gender, this study analyzes the relationships between men and women particularly, in the education sector among young students. This cross-sectional study carried out a questionnaire survey administered to a convenience sample, made up of 380 students from 3 university institutions in Goma, North Kivu, DRC. The themes evaluated concern knowledge towards gender and attitudes towards transdiversity in the training environment. The results show that the majority of respondents (three out of five) admit having perpetrated acts of violence in a university environment during the 12 months of reference. They openly manifest more unequal views of gender promotion. These results illustrate the need to improve the more egalitarian and inclusive learning environment, through awareness raising on positive and hemogenic masculinities in training settings in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Introduction: As part of a process to reorganize urban health services, this article analyzes the profile of health services in the eastern DRC city of Goma; the aim is to identify their distribution and level of medicalization. Methods: This descriptive and cross-sectional study conducted a comprehensive survey of health care facilities in the city of Goma in January 2018. Geographical and health data (infrastructure, equipment, human resources, care provided) were collected by professionals. They were encoded and analyzed using SPSS version 20 software. Results: The urban supply of care in Goma is too bloated with one facility for 8,794 inhabitants, one hospital bed for 326 inhabitants, one nurse for 586 inhabitants and one doctor for 2567 inhabitants. On the other hand, a lack of midwives, sub-equipment and infrastructure that does not meet hospital standards are observed. This health facilities, mainly privately lucrative (79%) with 56% of establishments created in the last 6 years, are variously distributed. The first-line care offer represents 34% and incorporates a medical practice in 43% of cases. Discussion and Conclusion: This provision of care requires strong regulation from the perspective of a better governed, streamlined and staggered urban health system, which better meets the quality standards and user’s expectations in urban contexts.

Introduction : The organizational model of health in the Democratic Republic of Congo is based on primary health care. Overall, the organization of this system in urban areas still depend on the one of rural areas where public health facilities predominate. Only data from these integates facilities are taken into consideration for the evaluation of utilization services. In this context, in cities where private health facilities proliferate, the level of use is still considered low. Methodology : Data were analyzed in relation to the curative service utilization of all functional health facilities in the eastern DRC city of Goma in order to estimate the overall health coverage for the year 2017 and its contribution in monitoring progress towards universal health coverage. Results : Overall utilization of curative services was 0.61 new case per capita. In this global utilization, the contribution of integrated health facilities in the health system was only 18.7% (n = 579,555). More than 75% of this utilization was covered by private health facilities. But in thses private health facilities, quality was poor. Conclusion : In urban areas, most medical supply service was provided by private health facilities, their non consideration does not make it possible to correctly assess either their use by the population nor the progress towards universal health coverage. In a context of increasing urbanization, the accreditation of private health facilities could be an innovative strategy for their integration, improve quality and good monitoring progress towards universal health coverage.