TITLE:
Mutual Health Insurance and Access to Care in the Health Zone of Kabinda, Kasai-Oriental, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
AUTHORS:
Cibangu Kazadi Richard, Bilonda Mpiana Alphonsine, Kabengele Mpinga Emmanuel, Mulewu Ngandu Hippolyte, Ciamala Mukendi Paul, Kanyiki Katala Moise, Kapitena Mangola Dominique, Tshimungu Kandolo Félicien
KEYWORDS:
Membership, Mutual Health, Access to Care, Rural Kabinda
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Access Library Journal,
Vol.4 No.4,
April
28,
2017
ABSTRACT: In the Democratic Republic of Congo, a large part of
the population now lives in a context of extreme poverty and suffers from serious health
problems. Deprived of social protection, these people see themselves therefore
in the financial inability to access quality health care. This study aims to
analyze the different characteristics of members of the mutual health insurance
and compare with non-members. The following observations were made: Of those surveyed,
97.7% and 91.4% of members were not members resorted average 4 times to health services during the
last 6 months prior to the survey, a statistically significant difference was
observed (p = 0.027). The survey data showed that a significant proportion of members and
non-members (62.5% vs 66.4%; p = 0.36) had resorted to self-medication. For non-members, the
rate of self-medication
and traditional therapy were higher. Lack of money is mentioned by members and
non-members as a problem limiting access to health care (38.3% vs 69.5%; p