Kinshasa Urban Clinics

Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo

The Kinshasa Urban Clinics are part of the government plan entitled "Health For All". It is a program that is centrally coordinated by the State, but predominantly implemented and managed by church groups. When it is complete, all of Kinshasa's 3,000,000 inhabitants will be within one mile of a primary health care clinic. The services offered at these clinics include pre and postnatal care, immunizations, well-baby clinics, treatment of minor illnesses and if necessary, referral to a regular or maternity hospital.

Since the beginning of the project in 1983 the Communaute Presbyterienne de Kinshasa has started five clinics: Kitoko 1984, Boo Nsuba 1985, Mayamba 1986, Tshimungu 1990 and Centenaire 1991. Last year over 50,000 consultations were given at these clinics. Starting with the fourth health center each clinic has a specialty service. Tshimungu has an ophthalmology programme, Centenaire will have a maternity as of August 1991 and the sixth clinic will include a dental service. Plans are underway to include AIDS education at all of the clinics.

The clinics are being managed by a three-person team consisting of Congolese nurses, Mr. Lumbala, Mr. Tshibangu, Mrs. Lungimba. PC(USA) Mission Worker Inge Sthreshley began a gardening project in the communities that maximizes the use of home gardens to improve family nutrition and supplement their income.