Enquête sur les services d’endoscopie et d’échographie digestive au Congo-Brazzaville en 2008

Abstract

The gastroenterology practice in Congo-Brazzaville lasted for 30 years. Until this day no study was realized to estimate the practices. The objective of this study was to estimate the activity and the respect for the standards of disinfection in digestive endoscopy in Congo-Brazzaville in 2008.Material and methodsThe investigation was led in the digestive endoscopy units. It is acts of a transverse, descriptive study and analytics, which took place from September 10th to 31 October 2008.ResultsThirteen gastroenterologists was counted; among which four practised the endoscopy; four practised the endoscopy and the echography and five others practised the clinical gastroenterology; seven doctors among 13 were holders of additional diplomas in their basic training. Twelve centers of gastroenterology were identified, among which five public and seven private. Seven nurses awarded a diploma by state, two technicians of health and two nurse’s aids constituted the strength of 11 paramedical agents of endoscopy units. Both nurse’s aids did not know the gastroscope and the coloscope; five nurses among whom two exercising in public, two exercising in private and one exercising in mixed mode did not know the disinfectant of endoscopes. In eight centers having a digestive endoscopy unit, it was counted 17 gastroscopes; ten coloscopes; 41 proctoscopes; 58 anuscopes; seven echographs; one center has a duodenoscope. Among 17 identified gastroscopes, nine were in good working order; three were considered acceptable, whereas five gastroscopes were considered out of order. Among the ten identified coloscopes, six were in good working order; two were considered acceptable and two were judged out of order. Among the eight digestive endoscopy units investigated, only two units of the public center were considered corresponding to the standards of disinfection. The number of examinations realized on average per month was: 249 gastroscopies, 32 colonoscopies, 91 rectoscopies, 96 abdominal echographies, and nine elastic ligatures of haemorrhoids. Sixty-three percent of gastroscopies and 81% of low endoscopy were practised in Brazzaville against 37 and 19% in Pointe-Noire.ConclusionIn 2008, in Congo-Brazzaville; the gastroenterologists remained “general practitioners” in their speciality; the nurses of digestive endoscopy are trained in no way; the respect for the standards of disinfection was poor and the activity was weak. This report has to incite us to imagine the solutions of improvement.