Health care for teachers: Tony Mwaba calls for MESP funding to be channeled into the "universal health coverage" program

Tony Mwaba Kazadi, Minister of Primary, Secondary, and Technical Education, plans to redirect funding from the EPST Teachers’ Mutual Aid Society (MESP) toward the government’s “Universal Health Coverage” program to improve healthcare coverage for Congolese teachers. He made this statement on Thursday, March 7, 2024, during his appearance on the program Le Débat on Top Congo FM radio. “We are currently addressing the issue of the MESP. When I arrived at the Ministry of EPST, healthcare was only provided to teachers in Kinshasa, even though this non-profit organization receives up to 2,400,000,000 FC from the state. With my involvement, we have expanded it to three other provinces, and the situation is evolving," the Minister of EPST indicated. He added, "But we want these funds to be directed toward the government’s policy of universal health coverage so that this program reaches all teachers throughout the entire Congolese territory." In the meantime, the head of the EPST clarified, the MESP will continue to receive these funds in order to carry out its duties as usual. It should be noted that Minister Tony Mwaba spoke to the press to highlight his record, deemed “largely positive,” at the helm of this highly sensitive sub-sector of the National Education system. Dorcial Malenga