Access to basic social services (health, education, decent jobs, etc.) is one of the priorities of the Congolese Government, as outlined in its 2024-2028 Action Program, specifically the expansion of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) to all. UHC in the DRC represents the political choice made by the Government to combat poverty by promoting access to quality healthcare for all at affordable costs.
Within this framework, and with the support of the thematic portfolio in Social Protection and Decent Work a process for institutionalizing medical advisors is underway. It consists of three stages: 1) training medical advisors, 2) exchanging experiences with expert stakeholders in Belgium, and 3) institutionalizing the body of medical advisors by integrating training curricula into university programs.
The goal of the first stage is to train 200 medical advisors by 2025 across the entire country, with a focus on the areas where UHC has been or will soon be expanded.
The demand for services provided by medical advisors is becoming increasingly important in the UHC process. The implementation of free healthcare or mandatory health insurance for all Congolese citizens cannot be achieved without the availability of competent medical advisors, whose training is tailored to the needs and roles of each user entity in accordance with the applicable institutional and legal framework.
Thus, the operationalization of health insurance by the Health Solidarity Fund (FSS) requires some prerequisites, notably the availability of medical advisors in the necessary quantity and quality to optimize the quality-cost control of healthcare services to be purchased for the insured.
The innovative aspect of this training lies in the fact that it is provided by an accredited educational institution (the School of Public Health) following a training curriculum validated according to relevant standards; the organization of the profession through regulatory texts; the administrative management of the concerned individuals in accordance with the norms; etc. Additionally, this training is unique in its kind on the African continent, with the DRC being the only country currently offering certification training for medical advisors. It has an international dimension, with participants from neighboring countries, including Burundi.
The first two waves of training, organized in 2023 and 2024, have provided the Congolese state and health mutuals with 79 medical advisors who are deployed to the Universal Health Coverage facilitation unit.
Stakeholders Involved
Department of HR
Informal leaders
Organizations (NGOs, cooperatives)
Government institutions
(Very) small enterprises
Medium enterprises
National and regional governments
Sectoral organizations
Trade unions
Vocational training centers
Universities
Labor Council
Youth and women’s organizations
Elements Relating to the 8 Principles of Decent Work
Job Security
Stability and security of employment (contract, dismissal, loss/maintenance of job)
Labour Market Security
Unemployment, irregular work, and underemployment
Professional development
Professional mobility
Education and vocational training
Income Security
Decent income
Regularity of income
Social Protection
Insurance/sick leave
Work accidents
Retirement
Maternity
Work-life Balance
Work, family, and private life reconciliation
Working hours and work schedules
Autonomy in work
Job satisfaction
Fair Treatment
Workplace discrimination
Violence
Child labor
Forced labor
Fair remuneration at work
Gender-based violence
Health and Safety at Work
Protective equipment
Training/awareness
Risks (ergonomic, biochemical, etc.)
Impact on health
Voice and Representation
Participation
Workers' representation
Freedom of workers
Workers' rights
Complaints
Inspections
Target Groups
Entrepreneurs
Award winners
Employers
Students
Women
Workers (informal)
Youth
Scope of Action Enabel
Better enforcement of labor and social security laws
Education & training
Employment services
Expanding access for vulnerable workers
Facilitating dialogue and coordination of national and regional policies on decent work
Gender
Awareness of workers’ rights
Job creation
Wage and subsistence income
Measuring progress toward decent work
Promoting dialogue between tripartite actors
Strengthening regulatory and legislative frameworks and mechanisms for implementing decent work
Location:
DR Congo: Kinshasa, Kisangani, Kolwezi, Mbuji-Mayi.
Focal point: Nathalie kabombo: email hidden; JavaScript is required
