Damien Foundation has been present in the Democratic Republic of the Congo since 1964. Together with the DRC government we are fighting leprosy, tuberculosis and other neglected tropical diseases. Given the size of the country, Damien Foundation is present at several levels. The core team is based in the capital Kinshasa, where Damien Foundation opened a hospital for multidrug TB patients in 2015 (Damien Foundation Centre of Excellence).
Our impact in 2025
D.R. Congo
Since
1964
Local representative
Dr Pierre Umba
Diseases treated
People diagnosed during the year
Leprosy
1 822
Tuberculosis
129 240
Multi drug-resistant tuberculosis
920
Patients who received socio-economic support
Leprosy
47
Tuberculosis
252
Multi drug-resistant tuberculosis
107
- Ministry of Health, Hygiene & Prevention provincial public health units, health zones
- Local NGOs, King Baudouin Foundation, USAID, The Global Fund
- National tuberculosis control programme (PNLT), The National leprosy control programme (PNEL)
Working with Damien Foundation in the field
In addition to Kinshasa, Damien Foundation local teams are active in 10 provinces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to support the regional health centres. For people living in remote areas with no access to healthcare, the teams regularly conduct screening projects.
Damien Foundation health centre in Kinshasa
As the existing health structure regarding tuberculosis in the DRC proved to be inadequate , in 2015 Damien Foundation opened the Damien Centre of Excellence. Here people suffering from multi or extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis and who consequently need intensive care are treated free of charge. The centre is in close contact with the other healthcare institutions in the country and carries out research into tuberculosis.
“Every day, we do all we can to treat TB patients who come to the Centre of Excellence as effectively as possible, and to help cure them.”
Osee, head of nursing
