DRC – Health
– The private health sector

The private sector is subdivided into three categories: for-profit private, non-profit private (health services provided by non-governmental and faith-based organizations), and traditional medicine. The pharmaceutical sector is primarily private. The for-profit private sector is particularly thriving in urban areas and economic hubs. It comprises medical and paramedical practices, clinics or polyclinics, and diagnostic centers (laboratories, imaging facilities). Operating licenses are granted by the Ministry of Public Health, while the application for authorization is approved by the province. Legislation clarifying the respective responsibilities of the central government and the provinces in this area is still lacking.

The private faith-based and non-profit sector has been present in the DRC since the colonial era and represents approximately 401,300 of healthcare services (State of the Health Sector, 2010). The main actors are Catholic, Protestant, Kimbanguist, and Salvation Army churches, which manage healthcare facilities such as hospitals and health centers. Extensive work has been conducted to analyze the impact of the private sector. The objectives of this study were to provide an estimate of the size, scope, and extent of the private health sector, focusing on key stakeholders and their roles; an overview of the types of health services and products offered by the private sector, particularly in family planning and maternal and child health; baseline data and lessons learned from the experiences of comparable low-income countries; and an overview of the policies, market conditions, and business needs that hinder or facilitate private sector participation in the health system. This study identified strategic priorities and a "roadmap for action" over a three-year horizon. 

It is also worth mentioning that today, cities in the DRC are experiencing rapid and unplanned urbanization and a dramatic increase in their populations. This necessitates adapting the way healthcare services are organized in urban areas, taking into account their specific characteristics. 

On August 2, 2022, the government signed a memorandum of understanding with the Central Coordination Bureau (BCECO) for the construction of 1,000 community health centers across the country. The project, which will take five years to complete, aims to bring healthcare services closer to the population. Already, 104 health centers will be built by the end of December 2022 nationwide.