Democratic Republic of Congo

Bolenge Hospital, located in the city of Bolenge, in the Equatorial Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), was built in 1928 by the Community of Disciples of Christ in the Congo (CDCC), a partner church with Global Ministries for over 100 years.  In a typical year Bolenge Hospital treats over 16,000 patients; over 50 percent for HIV/AIDS- related illnesses.  Much work is also done at Bolenge Hospital to provide early childhood vaccinations, prenatal visits, and obstetrical care as well as treatment of chronic and punctual illness and disease. 

For many years during the height of the violent war in the DRC, the entire area was of one of ongoing conflict.  Even though hostilities have lessened, the area continues to be unstable, subject to interference from delinquent or political armed groups.  This has obliged the Bolenge Hospital to prepare itself for operations in the middle of instability if the need arises.  It is one among very few, if not the only, medical facility providing care in this area of the DRC.

On June 13, 2006, the Bolenge Hospital experienced an electrical fire, which completely destroyed the hospital's newer main building and equipment.  Community members worked hard to save the people inside the building before it was completely engulfed by flames and no human lives were lost.   The patients were brought to the homes of doctors, pastors, and others in the community, and some were relocated to nearby Mbandaka.  Since then, the hospital has been operating out of an old building with 18 doctors and nurses having returned to work.  This older building is not equipped to handle Bolenge's wide range of health needs, and a proposal to reconstruct the burned hospital building and modernize the other buildings has been presented and is being implemented as resources become available.

Approximately three years after the fire, the new pediatric ward building was completed.  This is a major triumph in the rebuilding of the hospital.  The next step for the pediatric ward is to acquire the equipment, beds, instruments, and medicines.  A list of the basics supplies needed to conform to medical board requirements totals approximately $22,000 USD. 

Examples of the supply needs and costs:

• A basic thermometer or stethoscope costs approximately $5.
• A blood pressure gauge is $35.
• An infant scale is about $120.
• A metal bed for a patient is $350.

Additional building plans for the remainder of the hospital call for modernized buildings containing a total of 150 beds.  This will equip the hospital to cover the health needs of the population and attention against endemic diseases.  The next unit to be built will be for general and internal medicine, which has about 50 percent of the building costs committed.  The overall construction timeline is contingent upon the available funds with financial aid coming from several different partners, both local and abroad, and regular construction evaluations made two or three times each year.

The new, modernized hospital is expected to positively reinforce the presence of the CDCC in the Bolenge area, as well as significantly benefit the health of those in the immediate and wider area.  Global Ministries hopes that Disciples and UCC members in the United States and Canada will not see the fire at Bolenge Hospital only as a setback, but also as an opportunity to be a Critical Presence in a country that continues to witness to God's mission through their resilience and faithfulness.

 March 2010 Update on Bolenge Hospital