ACET partnerhips in Congo

You can read the May 2007 Newsletter here (in French).

Congo has 3 million people, very low compared to the large size of the country, with a very serious AIDS problem, and a life-expectancy for an average adult of only 50. One in ten children die shortly after birth. The average earnings per person is only $3 a day, and health care is very limited for many people. The country is slowly recovering from terrible civil unrest. AIDS is the number one killer of those in the army, and civil war has accelerated HIV spread.

Around 5% of the population is HIV infected and 100,000 die a year from AIDS. The epidemic is still in a relatively early stage with capacity for massive further spread if urgent action is not taken now. Communications are difficult, distances are great, and infrastructure can be lacking - for example frequent power cuts and difficulties with land-lines.

ACET Uganda has been providing technical assistance and support to projects across the country linked to UEM in AIDS prevention and care, headed by Yvonne Kambale, who has many years of experience in Congo AIDS programmes.

Half the country are Christian and almost all the rest follow various tribal religions. The church has been a significant provider of hospitals and clinics for more than a hundred years and has a well-established network of skills specialists as well as key partnerships with international relief and development agencies.