Democratic Republic of the Congo

The National Health Development Plan (PNDS) 2019-2022 of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) aims to advance Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by improving healthcare access, service delivery, and governance. It follows evaluations of previous PNDS plans, addressing challenges such as underfunding, inefficient resource use, and governance issues. The plan aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3) and national strategic frameworks​. The PNDS 2019-2022 focuses on three strategic axes: (1) improving healthcare service delivery, including maternal, neonatal, and child health (SRMNIA-N) and epidemic control; (2) strengthening health system pillars, such as human resources, infrastructure, medicine supply, and financial access; and (3) enhancing governance for decentralized health sector management and intersectoral collaboration​. Despite efforts to expand healthcare coverage from 30% to 60%, the system faces financial gaps, with $648 million needed over four years. The funding plan relies on government (37%), households (38%), and external aid (25%), highlighting dependency on external support. Additionally, infrastructure gaps, weak health data systems, and workforce shortages remain critical challenges​. The plan integrates monitoring frameworks to assess progress, but risk management and accountability mechanisms require reinforcement. While it provides a structured roadmap, implementation success depends on sustained political commitment, increased domestic financing, and strategic coordination between public, private, and international actors​.