The idea of creating a midwifery school came to us after we organized a traditional midwifery training of trainer’s course in Luvungi.
This training was organized by the MHCD in collaboration with Birthing Kits Foundation Australia.
In this training, we took two midwives from different villages in the Territory of Uvira and other Territories of the Province of South Kivu, after their training of 3 weeks, those who were still young and who had done secondary studies had taken the initiative to study midwifery and become professional midwives. They came to see Dr Luc MULIMBALIMBA and exchange with him their ideas and desire to study.
Dr. Luc MULIMBALIMBA agreed to help them, but unfortunately, they had to be sent to Bukavu or the town of Uvira to study, which was impossible because the studies, including accommodation and meals, were too expensive. So, to find a solution and help these girls and mothers to study and become midwives, Dr. Luc MULIMBALIMBA took the initiative of creating an MHCD medical school in Luvungi. He went to Kinshasa to request authorisation permit from ministry of health and education and other training materials from the DRC government, Fortunately, as the idea was a noble one, the Congolese government, through the Ministry of Public Health, agreed to the creation of a medical school in Luvungi and gave the MHCD the authorization to operate. Above all, it was easy because the MHCD has a hospital, doctors, nurses, and midwives to train these young students.
We started with 10 students and the good news is that every year our school produce graduates in midwifery and nursing.
We have already trained over 40 young people who are working and saving lives in their villages. Through this school, we have built a medical centre and maternity ward in Ndolera village, which helps the population of this corner of the country to receive quality health care at lower cost.
We have succeeded in sending our nurses and midwives to villages such as Mulenge, Luberizi,Runingu, Sange,Buheba,Lubarika, etc., to consult, treat the sick and deliver babies. They also vaccinate children and treat illnesses such as malaria and typhoid fever. Through this program we have succeeded in reducing infant mortality rates and stopped the loss of human life that was caused by the lack of primary health care in many villages. At the moment, people are no longer dying from diseases like malaria where we have nurses and midwives grace to our training program in nursing and midwifery, which is a very good thing.
We also have nurses and midwives we have trained who work at the MHCD Luvungi hospital in Luvungi village, and the others have become midwife trainers in their villages. They are the pride of their villages and of the DRC in general.
Our medical school is one of the top medical schools in South Kivu Province, and we’re now starting to receive students from other territories and provinces who come to study at our school.
Last year (2023), all our students passed the national exam, which made our school proud and well-known throughout South Kivu Province.
We have two sections, midwifery, and nursing. The national program lasts 4 years, so to complete your studies and receive your national diploma, you need to complete 4 years and sit a national exam.
We would like to inform you that most of our students do not have the means to study because they come from vulnerable families especially traditional midwives. We need support to help them study well and complete their studies. For more information concerning supporting the midwifery school, please feel free to contact us.
