Control of konzo in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Konzo outbreak, in the south-west of the Democratic Republic of Congo, 1996.

In August 1996, cases of poliomyelitis were reported in Kahemba zone, in the south-west of the Democratic Republic (DR) of Congo. The diagnosis was reviewed and charged to Konzo, a spastic paraparesis attributed to food cyanide intoxication. In order to describe the phenomena, a community-based survey took place and found 237 people affected. The highest prevalence was found in the most isolate...

Democratic Republic of Congo

Programme outcome: The IFRC 2010 support strategy and plan for the Red Cross of the Democratic Republic of Congo (Red Cross of DRC) was based on the National Society’s (NS) 20092013 Strategic Development Plan and was designed to help the NS provide vulnerable communities with life-saving first aid, clean water and sanitation, health and hygiene promotion, HIV/AIDS support, sexual and gender bas...

Control of konzo by detoxification of cassava flour in three villages in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Three villages in Boko Health Zone, Bandundu Province, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), had 61 konzo cases and konzo prevalences of 2.5%, 4.1% and 7.5% respectively. Konzo cases occurred every year for 10 years and every month, peaking in July. The high mean cyanide content of cassava flour of 50 ppm was due to short soaking of cassava roots for 1-2 days instead of 3-4 days. Konzo cases were...

Mortality in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Trypanosomiasis Control, Democratic Republic of Congo, 1993–2003

In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) reached unprecedented levels in the 1990s. To assess recent trends and evaluate control efforts, we analyzed epidemiologic and financial data collected by all agencies involved in HAT control in DRC from 1993 to 2003. Funds allocated to control populations, as well as to the population screened, doubled from 1993 to ...