(f) Case management of common illnesses.

The estimated total direct and indirect beneficiary population of the Health Center services is 30,610; this includes estimated 1,224 pregnant women, 6,734 children less than 5 years of age and estimated 6,122 women of reproductive age who live in the catchment area of the Health Center.

The Congo Health Center project’s goal is to reduce morbidity and mortality rates caused by communicable diseases through increased access to essential curative and preventive services. The major public health problems that impact on the lives of the catchment area populations include malaria, diarrheal diseases (including dysenteries), acute respiratory infections, malnutrition, and childhood communicable diseases (i.e.measles, diarrhea, pneumonia, and whopping cough). The major project interventions include: (a) malaria control and prevention (b) diarrheal diseases control, (c) vaccination, (d) training of mothers/care takers in promotion of hygiene and sanitation, and (e) training and promotion of nutrition(exclusive breastfeeding and appropriate weaning practices).

Christian Relief and Development, Inc. (CRDI) has been involved in the provision of facility and some community-based curative and preventive services in Binza-Ozone health zone of Kinshasa since 2005. Program activities that have been initiated and that were carried out during CY 2010 include:

(a) Provision of prenatal consultations including and assisted delivery by trained health workers at the CRDI-assisted Health Center;

(b) Promotion and delivery of family planning services to mothers and women of reproductive age;

(c) Provision of health education sessions during preschool and post-natal consultations;

(d) Promotion of malaria control and prevention activities;

(e) Diagnosis and case management of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) with referral of confirmed cases of HIV to appropriate facilities for care;