DR Congo: Celebrities and government, commits to mobilize for child survival

Thanks to “Child Health Now Campaign”, the Ministry of Health has assembled Congolese celebrities and artists to raise their awareness on child survival issues in DR Congo.

Nearly a hundred artists, musicians, comedians and other celebrities attended the two-hour meeting on April 19 in Kinshasa. The gathering was supported by World Vision and Save the Children.

The celebrities learnt a lot about the plight of children under age of five and the fact that DRC is among the top ten countries with the highest child mortality in the world.  Approximately 540,000 children die every year before reaching the age of five.

Dr. Jean-Fidele Ilunga, an expert with the Ministry of Health said that in the DRC, a child dies every minute as a result of diseases such as pneumonia, measles, diarrhea, malaria, AIDS and malnutrition.

“All these lives could be saved if all Congolese would adopt some habits as simple as sleeping under a safe mosquito net, vaccination of children and exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of childbirth,” ,” Dr. Ilunga told the celebrities. “We count on you to facilitate this message to be understood everywhere.”A committee for child survival was set and will be used to mobilize people throughout the whole country.

"The mobilization action plan will include among other activities, musical production and theatrical groups that will be broadcasted in national languages in the country," said the Minister of Health, Dr. Felix Kabange.

Musicians have a big influence among the Congolese population. Songs and dances can be an effective way of mobilising and educating the public on how to improve the well-being of children.

“We hope that Congolese celebrities could influence the behavior of their fellow citizens by creating awareness on the major causes of children death, including neglect of breastfeeding for the first six months of birth and malnutrition,” said the National Director of WV DRC, Robert Kisyula.

Many of celebrities had never realized the extent of the situation as told Reddy Amisi, musician:

"I did not know the situation of children was this alarming in my country. I think it is time for each of us has to get involved to give the children a chance to live,” said musician Reddy Amisi.