Democratic Republic of the Congo – Countdown 2030

The Countdown to 2030 national collaboration in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is a partnership between the Kinshasa School of Public Health; the Ministry of Public Health, Hygiene and Prevention; and the Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health. This project is tailored to the needs of the DRC government to produce scientific evidence and strengthen the country's analytical capacity in order to inform the country's annual and mid-term reviews of health progress and performance, with a focus on reproductive, maternal, neonatal and child health and nutrition (RMNCAH+N). Particular emphasis will be placed on the reproductive health of women, children and adolescents.

Studies planned for the period 2023-2025 include:

Stillbirth trends and neonatal mortality.
Heterogeneity of zero-dose children.
An analysis of trends, levels and determinants of the prevalence of unwanted pregnancies in Kinshasa, over the seven-year period 2014-2022.
An analysis of trends, levels and determinants and use of modern contraception amongst women residing in Kinshasa during the seven-year period between 2014 and 2022.

Francis Kabasubabo from the University of Kinshasa was selected as a Countdown fellow for 2023.