Development of the biology laboratory at Sainte-Marie Hospital

In 2021, following the emergence of a twelfth wave of the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and although the country managed to contain the spread of the virus within its borders, the health situation remains alarming. Infant and maternal mortality rates are among the highest in the world, and life expectancy is among the lowest. The deterioration of health services, limited financial resources, dilapidated infrastructure, and a lack of equipment and personnel explain the current critical health situation in the DRC. The emergence of COVID-19 has not improved matters, and for fear of infection, many people are avoiding health centers.

Sainte Marie Hospital is located in the Khartoum district of the Ngiri-Ngiri commune in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. Its medical biology laboratory is situated in a highly impoverished and overcrowded area where access to basic healthcare is extremely limited, and the population suffers from numerous illnesses. These include AIDS, malaria (affecting nearly 40% of the population), and tuberculosis. In people over 50, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes are also prevalent, while in children, diarrhea, prematurity, and neonatal infections (accounting for 30% of newborn deaths) are common. All of these conditions can be partially prevented through improved patient care, in which biological diagnostics play a crucial role. Currently, due to a lack of resources and equipment, the Sainte Marie medical laboratory can only provide basic tests to its patients. Limited methods and methods carried out under difficult conditions do not allow for effective patient care.

Thus, Biology Without Borders wishes to help the biological laboratory of Sainte Marie in Kinshasa, by developing the laboratory's medical equipment in hematology and biochemistry while strengthening the skills and practices of the health staff.