The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is the largest country in sub-Saharan Africa, with an area equivalent to Western Europe. A beautiful country, the DRC is home to vast reserves of resources ranging from diamonds to hydroelectric potential. The population of more than 105 million comprises more than 200 ethnic groups, most of which are Bantu. As much as 45 percent of the population lives in urban areas, predominantly in the cities in the northeast and in the capital, Kinshasa. French is the official language of the DRC; many people communicate using Lingala, the lingua franca.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo won its independence from Belgium in 1960, followed by years of political and social instability. The country has experienced conflict stemming from decades of civil war and corruption, which still exists today. And while the economic situation in the DRC has improved over the past two decades, in 2018 about 72 percent of the population lived in extreme poverty. Less than half of the population has access to clean drinking water, and only 20 percent has access to sanitation.

The country’s largely rural population faces a high burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases, as well as injuries. Significant causes of death include malaria, tuberculosis, lower respiratory infections, neonatal disorders, diarrheal diseases, stroke, ischemic heart disease, road injuries, hypertensive heart disease, cirrhosis, congenital defects, and HIV/AIDS. A number of Ebola outbreaks has also burdened the DRC. Fears of epidemic coupled with violence across the country has contributed to a growing public health challenge: poor mental health and depressive disorders. Unfortunately, maternal and child health indicators have not improved significantly since the beginning of the century.