Abstract

Introduction
The Universal Health Coverage (UHC) guarantees access to essential health services for all without financial burdens, encompassing high-quality services within an effective and equitable health protection system. UHC upholds the principle that health is a human right, ensuring every individual achieves optimal health.
To achieve UHC, a dynamic policy must be developed, ensuring equitable access to quality health services with financial protection. A secure regulatory framework must be established, and high-quality health systems must be established. Public financing should be supported and health investments harmonized. Multi-sectoral action is necessary, as at least half of the population in many countries lacks full coverage of essential health services, and nearly 100 million people fall into extreme poverty due to their health costs.

Goals
The study aims to propose new strategies for achieving UHC in the DRC, including multisectoral interventions and strengthening resilience of Village Development Committees (VDC) and cooperatives in providing care for their members.

Methodology
The study, conducted in Lubumbashi, DRC, in August and September 2024, aimed to identify new strategies for the success of UHC using a qualitative method and documentary collection on international implementation strategies.

Results
The Congolese healthcare system faces challenges due to fragility, armed conflicts, and fund misappropriation. To address these issues, creativity, experimentation, and innovation are needed to design accessible service models adapted to the cultural context. Non-discrimination is a key commitment. The success of UHC depends on the mutuality of beneficiary communities. However, Congolese people are naturally mutualists, contributing to hospitals despite their low income. To avoid extortion and fraud, they refuse to join mutual funds.

What can be done to achieve UHC in the DRC?
The Congolese government should not create European-style mutual societies due to the majority of Congolese living unemployed and operating in the informal sector. Villages can be grouped into VDC to cover care costs, while farmers, fishermen, and breeders can form cooperatives to support their members' care costs. Additionally, creating groups of 25 households into associations around common interests can strengthen social cohesion and existing pooling in the Congolese neighborhood.