[Study of general mortality and of mortality related to malaria in the mountains of Kivu, Zaire].

Abstract

A longitudinal study in the "health region" of Katana (Kivu, Zaïre) has permitted to determine age and disease specific mortality rates. The infant mortality rate is 172 per 1000/year, the child mortality rate 45 p.1000/year and the crude rate 24 p.1000/year. Two thirds of this mortality are related to infectious and parasitic diseases: measles, diarrhoea, respiratory diseases and malaria. In the mountainous Katana region (4500 feet), malaria is responsible for 12%, of the decrease and the specific mortality rates are 3 p.1000/year in the general population and 18 and 6 p.1000/year in, respectively, the 0 to 11 month and 1 to 4 year age groups. We discuss the potential of PHC to improve, in the framework of an integrated development approach, this unfavorable health situation.