Promoting and monitoring antimicrobial stewardship using veterinary vocational schools in the Democratic Republic of Congo

2021 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-22
Author(s):  
Diafuka Saila-Ngita ◽  
◽  
Victor Ndadi Nkuembe ◽  
Jérémie Kimbuku Mavata ◽  
Brigitte Bagnol
Keyword(s):  
Antibiotic Stewardship ◽  
Democratic Republic ◽  
Democratic Republic Of Congo ◽  
Vocational Schools ◽  
Teaching Skills ◽  
Central Province ◽  
Veterinary Services ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Catchment Areas ◽  
Resources Sharing

We conducted a feasibility study of antibiotic stewardship promotion, monitoring and education through veterinary vocational schools using semi-structured interviews and Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, and Threats analysis. Seventeen of the 35 veterinary vocational schools of the Kongo Central Province were surveyed. We report four key results. First, all schools were government funded with personnel capable of promoting, monitoring and educating farmers and communities. Second, these schools were well distributed across the country which gives them access to a greater number of farmers. Third, faculty from these schools provided the bulk of veterinary services in their catchment areas. Fourth, vocational schools would benefit from support from universities. This support could focus on transfer of teaching skills and resources sharing.

Assessing the management of healthcare waste for disease prevention and environment protection at selected hospitals in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo

2021 ◽  
pp. 0734242X2110481
Author(s):  
Gabriel Kalombe Kyomba ◽  
Joêl Nkiama Numbi Konde ◽  
Diafuka Saila-Ngita ◽  
Thomas Kuanda Solo ◽  
Guillaume Mbela Kiyombo
Keyword(s):  
Waste Management ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Democratic Republic ◽  
Democratic Republic Of Congo ◽  
Bottom Ash ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Republic Of Congo ◽  
Healthcare Waste ◽  
Health Care Waste

Incineration is the most used healthcare waste (HCW) disposal method. Disease outbreaks due to Ebola virus and SARS-CoV2 require attention to HCW management to avoid pathogens spread and spillover. This study describes HCW management prior to incineration and hospital incinerators performance by analysing bottom ashes from hospitals in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. We used semi-structured interviews to capture information on pre-incineration waste management and analysed the chemical composition of 27 samples of incinerator bottom ashes using the energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence. Neither sorting nor waste management measures were applied at hospitals surveyed. Incinerator operators were poorly equipped and their knowledge was limited. The bottom ash concentrations of cadmium, chromium, nickel and lead ranged between 0.61–10.44, 40.15–737.01, 9.11–97.55 and 16.37–240.03 mg kg−1, respectively. Compared to Chinese incinerator performance, the concentrations of some elements were found to be lower than those from China. This discrepancy may be explained by the difference in the composition of HCW. The authors conclude that health care waste in Kinshasa hospitals is poorly managed, higher concentrations of heavy metals are found in incinerator bottom ashes and the incinerators quality is poor. They recommend the strict application of infection prevention control measures, the training of incinerator operators and the use of high-performance incinerators.

scholarly journals Tshiota Rituals among the Luba People of Kasai Central in the Democratic Republic of Congo

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-42
Author(s):  
Laurenti Magesa ◽  
David Bilungule Bakamana ◽  
Clement Chinkambako Abenguuni Majawa
Keyword(s):  
Democratic Republic ◽  
Good Governance ◽  
Democratic Republic Of Congo ◽  
Political Leadership ◽  
Target Population ◽  
Central Province ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Political Leaders ◽  
The Government ◽  
Adequate Evidence

Among the Luba people, the tshiota is one of the powerful types of indigenous manga (charms) used by the community. Tshiota is a traditional fire of power used for rituals, where invocations are made to the departed ancestors, spirits, and angels. It is a place of purification, cleansing, blessings, and making sacrifices. The study employed a qualitative research that was rooted in phenomenology. The concentration of the study was on the Kasai Central Province for two main reasons: one, the region has one of the major ethnic groups in the country and thus adequate evidence exists of use of manga in the area. The target population for the study was the Luba people who lived in Kasai Central Province. From this target population, charm givers, militia and political leaders were selected as the units of observation by the researcher.The findings of the research established tshiota is used to perform rituals and invocations to call upon the ancestors for help when there is a problem in the community. This help includes protection of community members before they go out to perform an activity on behalf of the community. This includes activities such as fighting during war. Tshiota fire was used also by the militia including Kamwina Nsapu who were fighting the government. They were initiated through fires of tshiota and drinking a powerful potion called tshizaba. Manga made the militia to be very powerful and strong in their fight for justice and good governance in Kasai. Through this abilities, they were able to fight and win against the modern day government in their effort to bring change and accountability in modern political leadership.  Manga were used to deal with corruption and other mal-practices, hence bring forth justice and good governance in Kasai Central Province, in DRC.

scholarly journals Effects of an empowerment program for survivors of sexual violence on attitudes and beliefs: evidence from the Democratic Republic of Congo

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
John Quattrochi ◽  
Rosalie Biaba ◽  
Ragnhild Nordås ◽  
Gudrun Østby ◽  
Susanne Alldén ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Democratic Republic ◽  
Democratic Republic Of Congo ◽  
Women's Empowerment ◽  
Active Role ◽  
Women’S Empowerment ◽  
Gender Based Violence ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Domestic Sphere ◽  
Republic Of The Congo ◽  
Empowerment Program

Abstract Background Women’s empowerment may require women to change their beliefs and views about their rights and capabilities. Empowerment programs often target women who have survived sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), with the justification that these women may develop disempowered beliefs as a coping mechanism, or face greater barriers to, or derive greater benefits from, the adoption of empowered beliefs and preferences. We investigated an intensive, six-month residential empowerment program (“City of Joy”) for SGBV survivors in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where more than one in five women have experienced SGBV. Methods We asked 175 participants about their beliefs and preferences pertaining to political, financial, and domestic empowerment. Interviews took place immediately before and after participation in the program, and we tested for differences in views of empowerment between entry and exit using paired t-tests and McNemar’s test. We also conducted 50 semi-structured interviews about empowerment with an additional 30 women who had completed the program up to 5 years earlier and then returned to their home community. Results Prior to enrolling in the program, participants had fairly empowered views regarding politics, less empowered views regarding finances, and still less empowered views regarding the domestic sphere. After completing the program, participants had significantly more empowered views in all three domains, particularly regarding domestic violence, how families should treat men and women, and women’s economic rights. Participants in their home communities reported taking a more active role in community affairs and speaking out against the mistreatment of women. Conclusion This study adds to the evidence that women’s empowerment programs can change participants’ beliefs and thus increase the confidence with which they participate in their communities and support one another.

scholarly journals An Unexpected New Poropanchax (Cyprinodontiformes, Procatopodidae) from the Kongo Central Province, Democratic Republic of Congo

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 (3941) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Jouke R. Van Der Zee ◽  
Kimberly Bernotas ◽  
Pedro H.N. Bragança ◽  
Melanie L.J. Stiassny
Keyword(s):  
Democratic Republic ◽  
Democratic Republic Of Congo ◽  
Central Province ◽  
Republic Of Congo

scholarly journals Efficacy of indigenous charms as weapons of war

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 408-417
Author(s):  
David Bilungule Bakamana ◽  
Laurenti Magesa ◽  
Clement Chinkambako Abenguuni Majawa
Keyword(s):  
Democratic Republic ◽  
Democratic Republic Of Congo ◽  
Political Leadership ◽  
Central Province ◽  
Republic Of Congo ◽  
Contemporary World ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Governance Practices ◽  
At Will

Conflicts and wars in the contemporary world are often fought through the use of modern and sophisticated weapons. The forces using such modern weapons are often regarded as having an upper hand especially when their opponents possess what is regarded as inferior weaponry. However, modern weapons can be overpowered as evidenced in the Kamwina Nsapu conflict in the Kasai region of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The insurgency of Kamwina Nsapu militia in the Kasai Central Province sought to bring accountability to the modern political leadership and address bad governance practices. The case of the Kamwina Nsapu revealed the use of charms or fetishes (manga) to address the problem that had emerged in the Luba community. Different types of indigenous charms (manga) were used: trees and sticks were used as guns; slippers as telephones; and fruits as grenades. Militia were able to cut off heads of enemies from a distance with their bare hands and they teleported from one place to another at will. These activities were made possible by the use of charms (manga), such as the tshiota fire and nkwembe.

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