DR Congo

Country in Africa

In brief

Health spending per person: $23 (2023). World rank 190 of 193; in Africa, 51 of 54. Access to safe drinking water: 35.7% (2024). World rank 206 of 206 (1 = best); in Africa, 52 of 52. Access to basic sanitation: 16.3% (2024). World rank 198 of 203 (1 = best); in Africa, 47 of 52. From 2014 to 2024: children vaccinated against measles 69% → 55%, infant deaths per 1,000 births 55.3 → 56.4, and deaths under age 5 per 1,000 births 92.7 → 89.7. Better than all its neighbours (Angola, Burundi, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia): HIV prevalence. Worse than all its neighbours (Angola, Burundi, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia): access to safe drinking water.

Education

Adult literacy: 68.5% 2023
Primary school enrolment: 118% 2023
Secondary school enrolment: 55.5% 2023
Higher education enrolment: 6.4% 2020
Public spending on education, share of GDP: 2.8% 2022

Healthcare

Health spending, share of GDP: 3.7% 2023
Health spending per person: $23 2023
Out-of-pocket health spending, share of total: 38% 2023
Doctors per 1,000 people: 0.2 2022
Nurses and midwives per 1,000 people: 1.2 2022
Hospital beds per 1,000 people: 0.8 2006
Children vaccinated against measles: 55% 2024

Public health

Infant deaths per 1,000 births: 56.4 2024
Deaths under age 5 per 1,000 births: 89.7 2024
Maternal deaths per 100,000 births: 427 2023
HIV prevalence, ages 15–49: 0.7% 2024
Diabetes prevalence, ages 20–79: 7.7% 2024
Overweight adults: 21.8% 2022
Adults who use tobacco: 12.3% 2024

Living conditions

Access to safe drinking water: 35.7% 2024
Access to basic sanitation: 16.3% 2024
Access to clean cooking fuels: 5% 2024