Screening campaigns for blood pressure and blood sugar launched in Mbuji-Mayi and Kindu

Eight free screening sites for blood pressure and blood sugar have been established in Mbuji-Mayi, Kasaï-Oriental province, as part of an initiative by the National Order of Nurses of Congo (ONIC). The program, launched on Friday, July 31, 2026, aims to conduct mass screenings for these increasingly prevalent conditions in the region.

This effort coincides with ONIC's tenth anniversary in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Henriette Misenga, president of ONIC-Kasaï-Oriental, emphasized the four key responsibilities of nurses: providing care, promoting health, preventing diseases, and rehabilitation, alongside education and research. She stated that the population has high expectations of nurses.

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As nurses, we have four responsibilities. Administering care, health promotion, disease prevention, health rehabilitation and also teaching and scientific research. Our population expects a lot from us.

In Kindu, ONIC members are also offering these health services in various community locations, including markets, the governor's office, the central mosque, and the airport hospital. While blood pressure checks are free, a small fee of 5,000 Congolese francs is charged for blood sugar tests to cover the cost of testing strips. Dr. Kong Many, a physician at a Kindu hospital, noted that 10 to 20 people utilize these services daily, indicating a significant community need.

Beneficiaries of these initiatives expressed their appreciation and called for regular organization of such activities. They believe these programs are crucial for helping less fortunate individuals prevent potentially avoidable diseases through early detection.

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Blood pressure, we do it for free, but blood sugar, we charge 5,000 francs because we have to purchase the strips we use. Per day, we have 10 to 20 people who come and we understand that it is a problem in the community.