A roundtable on the role of the diaspora in the rebuilding of the
health care system in the Democratic Republic of the Congo will
take place at the World Bank’s Brussels Office on 18 October
at 15h00.

This two-hour event, part of IOM’s "24 hours of the
diaspora" initiative, will bring together the Belgium Minister for
Development Cooperation, Armand De Decker, the Congolese Health
Minister Dr. Zacharie Kashongwe, IOM’s Deputy Director
General Mrs Ndioro Ndiaye and health professionals from the
Congolese diaspora to discuss ways to engage the diaspora in the
rebuilding of the health care system in the DRC.  

Years of conflict and civil unrest in the Democratic Republic of
Congo have left the health care system in tatters. According to
recent WHO data, the DRC currently has 10 doctors for 100,000
inhabitants compared to 320 per 100,000 inhabitants for developed
countries. Life expectancy at birth is less than 44 years, infant
mortality rate is at 129 per 1,000 live births and maternal
mortality rate is among the highest in the world, at 1,800 per
100,000 live births.

For more information, please contact:

Franziska Meier

IOM Brussels

Tel +32 2 235 66 92

E-mail: "mailto:fmeier@iom.int">fmeier@iom.int