RIPSEC RDC - Institutional Strengthening Program for Evidence-Based Health Policies in DR Congo (RIPSEC): results and lessons learned after five years of implementation

Relevance of the program

An efficient health district remains scarce in sub-Saharan African countries. However, the DRC for example’s need to strengthen the health system in order to ensure a more equitable access to health care services amongst the population in a perspective of universal health coverage proves to be relevant.

The "RIPSEC" program aims to (i) develop the capacity to manage a health knowledge centre  in the DRC by creating one; named “Health Knowledge Centre in the DRC, (CCSC)”; ii ) to strengthen the scientific capacity of the Public Health Schools and the National Institute of Biomedical Research in health systems research and education, as well as (iii) to strengthen the training capacity of the Public Health Schools by creating the Learning and Research Health Districts in the perspective of ​​universal coverage. Thus, the implementation of RIPSEC was gradual and consensual in a close participatory consortium that required capacity building whenever necessary.

Results

Almost all the set objectives have been achieved and their indicators set. Yet, the Non-profit organization “CCSC”, after creation, acquired an autonomous status with legal personality and became a Non-profit organization “CCSC-asbl”. The center became a support structure to the National Ministry of Health by producing recommendations based on scientific evidence on s a specific topic. By doing so, to some extent, the Ministry of Health strengthened and diversified.

Based on the set agenda, in order to strengthen the Congolese institutional bodies; trainings of institutions’ staffs, production of dissertations on RIPSEC themes, support for doctoral students and support for other research focused on public health problems and several published articles were undertaken and produced. Furthermore, the establishment of a consultation framework for health science training institutes (CISS): an online training, short-term joint training course on health system research, occurred. With regards to the Learning and Research Health Districts (LRHDs), the functionality of the 3 chosen districts has been improved and change observed at the level of health services. Lastly, RIPSEC’ productions have been disseminated in all forms.

Lessons learned

After five years of implementation, what are the main lessons to retain from such an innovative experience? It follows from the evaluation carried out in February 2020 that the main lessons learned during this period are:

• RIPSEC's experience displays that rigorous management and innovative approaches can lead to good work and great outcomes with limited resources;
• To capacitate public health schools to have local experts can spare the Ministry of health to be majorly dependent on the opinions of international organizations;
• The transformation of health districts into Learning and Research Health Districts   is very relevant thus complex. It also requires close and long-term support;
• The change process is hard and constraining, but with the will and determination of the actors can make it possible;
• Action research makes it possible to find solutions adapted to the local context and can be at low-cost.

Article written by Albert Mwembo Tambwe A Nkoy, Mada Kabuya, Faustin Chenge Mukalenge et Bart Criel