Lubumbashi City Research Articles

Comparative study of blood glucose and glycated hemoglobin in type 2 diabetics in Lubumbashi city

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus is a complex disease, with polymorphic clinical expression and diverse etiopathogenesis, creating an absolute (insufficiency of secretion) or relative (resistance, etc.) defect in insulin effect. This defect in insulin secretion and/or action leads to chronic hyperglycemia with disturbances in carbohydrate, lipid and protein metabolism. Objective: The objective of our study was to establish the relationship between variations in blood sugar and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in type 2 diabetics in Lubumbashi city. Methods: The study involved a sample of 39 known type 2 diabetics treated at the University Clinics of Lubumbashi. Venous blood samples were taken from all patients for the measurement of blood glucose after the 1st, 2nd and 3rd month of antidiabetic treatment and for the measurement of HbA1c after the 3rd month of treatment. Results: The average blood glucose concentrations obtained after the 1st, 2nd and 3rd month of treatment were respectively 180.28 ± 51.09 mg/dl ; 154.20 ± 49.33mg/dl and 135.58 ± 36.45 mg/dl while the percentage of HbA1c after the 3rd month of treatment was 5.90 ± 0.55. Statistical analysis showed that the average blood glucose obtained after the 1st month of treatment was significantly higher (P<0.05) than those obtained after the 2nd and 3rd months of treatment. There was no significant difference between the average blood glucose obtained after the 2nd month of treatment and that obtained after the 3rd month of treatment. Furthermore, a positive correlation (r=0.56) was found between average blood glucose and HbA1c. Conclusion: On the one hand, our results show that the antidiabetic treatment followed by the patients was effective and, on the other hand, they highlight the need to associate the measurement of blood glucose with that of HbA1c in the diagnosis and treatment monitoring in diabetic patients.

Quantifying Forest Cover Loss during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Lubumbashi Charcoal Production Basin (DR Congo) through Remote Sensing and Landscape Analysis

In the context of the Lubumbashi Charcoal Production Basin (LCPB), the socio-economic repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic have exacerbated pressures on populations dependent on forest resources for their subsistence. This study employs a comprehensive methodological approach, integrating advanced remote sensing techniques, including image classification, mapping, and detailed landscape analysis, to quantify alterations in forest cover within the LCPB during the pandemic period. Our findings reveal a consistent trend of declining forested area, characterized by processes of attrition and dissection observed throughout various study phases, spanning from May 2019 to November 2023. This reduction in forest cover, notably more pronounced in the vicinity of Lubumbashi city and the northern zone of the LCPB, proved to be less pronounced between November 2019 and September 2020, underscoring the influence of COVID-19 pandemic-induced confinement measures on forest management practices in the region. However, subsequent to this period of restriction, deforestation activity intensified, leading to significant landscape transformations within the LCPB, primarily attributable to expanded human activities, consequently resulting in a notable decrease in the proportion of land occupied by these natural ecosystems. Consequently, the size of the largest forest patch declined substantially, decreasing from 14.62% to 8.20% between May 2019 and November 2023, thereby fostering a heightened density of forest edges over time. Our findings provide a significant contribution to understanding the complex interactions between the COVID-19 pandemic and deforestation phenomena, emphasizing the urgent need to adopt adaptive management strategies and appropriate conservation measures in response to current economic challenges.

The Restoration of Degraded Landscapes along the Urban–Rural Gradient of Lubumbashi City (Democratic Republic of the Congo) by Acacia auriculiformis Plantations: Their Spatial Dynamics and Impact on Plant Diversity

This study examines the spatio-temporal dynamics of Acacia auriculiformis in Lubumbashi city, southeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, in the context of rapid urbanization following the liberalization of the mining sector. The city has experienced significant demographic growth and unplanned spatial expansion, resulting in a decrease in vegetation cover. The introduction and proliferation of A. auriculiformis, an exotic tree species, have occurred without strategic planning or monitoring. Utilizing digitized remote sensing imagery from 2006, 2014, and 2021, we quantified the expansion of A. auriculiformis along the urban–rural gradient. Additionally, a floristic inventory conducted in 2021 provided insights into tree diversity within A. auriculiformis plantations. Our findings indicate a substantial increase in the number and area of A. auriculiformis patches, predominantly in urban zones. However, the patch values, highest in 2006, were shown to decline by 2021, especially in urban areas. The floristic inventory identified 39 tree species within A. auriculiformis plantations, including predominant species such as Albizia lebbeck, Albizia alba, and Leucaena leucocephala. Notably, 20 of these species are exotic, with half being invasive. In contrast, the 19 indigenous species were primarily found in peri-urban areas. While a greater number of tree species were observed in urban zones, larger average diameters were recorded in peri-urban zones. The persistence and expansion of A. auriculiformis in a landscape characterized by declining tree cover suggest its potential sustainability in this setting. However, A. auriculiformis plantations have facilitated the establishment of predominantly exotic and potentially invasive species. These findings highlight the need for the strategic management of A. auriculiformis and associated exotic flora to mitigate their spread and to consider their role in the restoration of degraded lands.

Newborn screening for sickle cell disease in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo: An update on the prevalence of the disease

Objectives: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an autosomal recessive hemoglobinopathy. It affects about 2% of newborns in some sub-Saharan African countries. In most patients, the incidence of complications can be reduced if screening takes place at birth. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of SCD among a population of newborns in Lubumbashi, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Material and Methods: This prospective and cross-sectional study was conducted among newborns in five referral maternity hospitals in Lubumbashi city, in the DRC. Newborns’ blood samples were examined by capillary electrophoresis. Results: Of a total of 588 newborns screened for SCD, 369 (68.59%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 64.48%–72.49%) newborns were Hemoglobin AA (HbAA); 141 (26.21%; 95% CI: 22.54%–30.14%) newborns were HbAS; 27 (5.01%; 95% CI: 3.33%–7.22%) newborns were HbSS, and 1 (0.19%; 95% CI: 0.00%–1.03%) newborn was Hemoglobin AC (HbAC). Conclusion: The present study determined the prevalence of SCD during neonatal screening in Lubumbashi. The conduct of premarital counseling is essential to reduce the prevalence of this hemoglobinopathy which is high (5.01% of HbSS). Systematic newborn screening in all maternity wards in the country would help to assess the prevalence at the national level and improve the quality of life of SCD children.

Recrudescence of Domestic Violence Cases and Psychosocial Experience of Communities in the Lubumbashi City in Democratic Republic of Congo (the)

Recrudescence of Domestic Violence Cases and Psychosocial Experience of Communities in the Lubumbashi City in Democratic Republic of Congo (the)

Phenotypic and morphobiometric characterization of local chicken (Gallus gallus) in family breeding on the outskirts of Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo

This study, with a main goal to characterise the local chicken at phenotypic and morphobiometric level, was conducted from September 2019 to January 2020 in three outlying districts of Lubumbashi city in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). A total of 116 adult females and 64 adult males were photographed, described, and measured individually. The main results indicated that the phenotypic traits of the local chicken studied were very heterogeneous. Indeed, four main types of feather distribution were observed – normal feathering (80.56%), crested head (17.22%), naked-neck (1.67%), and feathered shank (0.56%). For feather morphology, normal plumage (98.33%) dominated frizzled plumage (1.67%). Plumage colouring varied with the predominance of black (15.00%), millefiori (10.56%), salmon pink (9.44%), and fawn (8.89%) colours. The single comb was the most common (96.67%) having usually the red (51.67%) or pink (35.56%) colour. The colour of wattles was dominated by red (58.89%) followed by pink (33.89%), while the predominant earlobe colour was red (32.78%) followed by red-white (23.33%) and white (21.67%). Among the eye colours, orange-red predominated (73.33%) followed by dark-brown (11.11%) and yellow-brown (9.44%). Most of the birds were having white skin colour (56.67%) followed by pink (22.22%) and yellow (21.11%). The shank colour was predominantly white (34.44%) followed by yellow (23.89%), grey (19.44%), black (16.67%), and green (5.56%). Regarding morphobiometric traits, the average live body weight of the local peri-urban chicken of Lubumbashi was 1.25 ± 0.52 kg in males and 1.06 ± 0.29 kg in females. Body weight and other body measurements vary significantly (p<0.001) depending on sex and in favour of males. Body weight was strongly and significantly correlated with shank circumference and chest circumference with a coefficient of 0.86 and 0.80, respectively.

Factors Associated with Acceptability of Newborn Screening for Sickle Cell Disease in Lubumbashi City, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Objective: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a major genetic disease that occurs early in childhood and can cause considerable morbidity and even death. Newborn screening (NBS) is one of the effective health services that have lowered the burden of SCD in wealthy countries. Surprisingly, NBS programs are essentially non-existent in subSaharan Africa, where the majority of babies are born with this condition. The objective of this study was to determine the level of acceptability of NBS and the factors influencing it in the population of Lubumbashi city in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Material and Methods: From December 1, 2020, to December 31, 2020, data on sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge, and attitudes related to NBS for SCD were collected from 2032 adults in Lubumbashi city using a semi-structured and pre-tested questionnaire. Results: There was a good knowledge of SCD as a hereditary blood disorder (77.7%). NBS’s acceptability rate was 84.5%. Age (P = 0.002), sex (P = 0.025), and religion (p<0.001) were found to be significantly associated with the NBS acceptability. Conclusion: According to the findings of this study, NBS is widely accepted in Lubumbashi. The primary challenges to its adoption are likely to be financial and practical rather than social or cultural.

Determinants of Utilization and Quality of Antenatal Care Services in Lubumbashi, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Objectives: Maternal and perinatal mortality is one of the best indicators of a society’s health status and development level. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, antenatal care (ANC) utilization is generally low, and delayed initiation of care is very common. It is in this context that the present study on the utilization and quality of ANC carried out among women in Lubumbashi city aimed to identify determinants of the utilization and quality of ANC services. Material and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in Lubumbashi, relating to 1472 women who had given birth during the 12 months preceding the survey, selected by cluster sampling. Logistic regression was used to identify the relative effects of socio-demographic risk factors and all statistical tests were declared significant at a P < 0.05. Results: One tenth (10.5%) of the women in the sample did not attend ANC during their most recent pregnancy and 89.5% had attended ANC at least once. Of the 1318 women with at least one ANC visit, 55.9% had an early initiation of ANC and 53.2% received high quality ANC. Women aged 20–29 years (adjusted odds ratios [aOR] = 2.8 [1.6–5.1]), 30–39 years (aOR = 4.3 [2.1–8.9]) and ≥40 years (aOR = 6.5 [2.6–16.2]), married women (aOR = 1.9 [1.1–3.2]), women with secondary educational level (aOR = 4.9 [3.4–7.2]), and women with higher educational level (aOR = 15.3 [5.3–43.8]) were more likely to have at least one ANC during their pregnancy. Factors contributing to attend four or more ANC visits were secondary educational level (aOR = 1.4 [1.0–2.0]) and higher educational level (aOR = 1.9 [1.2–2.9]), primiparity (aOR = 1.5 [1.1–2.1]), and doing business activities (aOR = 1.4 [1.0–1.8]). Determinant of early initiation ANC was only the higher educational level (aOR = 2.2 [1.4–3.4]). Factors associated with high quality ANC were secondary educational level (aOR = 3.0 [2.1–4.3]) and higher educational level (aOR = 6.2 [3.8–9.9]), and receiving ANCs in a general referral hospital (aOR = 1.5 [1.2–2.0]). Conclusion: The use and quality of ANC services remain a serious problem in Lubumbashi city. This situation hampers the achievement of maternal and child health goals. Health education can help reduce this in our context.

Assessment of Street Tree Diversity, Structure and Protection in Planned and Unplanned Neighborhoods of Lubumbashi City (DR Congo)

Street trees are always considered a vital part of urban green infrastructure in urbanized areas through mitigating the negative effects caused by urbanization taking part in human well-being. However, little is still known about their diversity, structure and protection, mostly in Lubumbashi city in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo), where the pace of urbanization is not only rapid but also unplanned. In this study, using an inventory, we have characterized the diversity, structure and protection measures of street trees along a land-use planning gradient in Lubumbashi for both planned and unplanned neighborhoods. From the results, a total of 1596 trees were encountered, comprising 40 species, 33 genera and 17 families, mostly dominated by exotic species (65%). In addition, most of the studied trees (63%) belonged to four species only (Jacaranda mimosifolia, Leucaena leucocephala, Mangifera indica, and Acacia auriculiformis) with Leucaena leucocephala and Jacaranda mimosifolia being highly represented in unplanned and planned neighborhoods, respectively. The most abundant diameter classes in the planned neighborhoods were those with at most 10 cm against the classes larger than 50 cm in the planned neighborhoods. In both neighborhoods, trees with protection equipment represent less than 35%. Furthermore, in planned neighborhoods notably, nearly half of the observed equipment is in a good condition. Despite the benefits associated with street trees, there is a need to reduce the proportion of exotic tree species by planting native utilitarian tree species.

Predictors of mortality in neonatal sepsis in a resource-limited setting

Introduction: Sepsis remains a major cause of death in neonatal period. Although significant advances in diagnosis, therapeutic and prevention strategies have been noted, sepsis remains a common concern in clinical practice especially in low-resource countries. The aim of this study was to determine the predictors of mortality in neonatal sepsis in Lubumbashi city (Democratic Republic of Congo). Methods: The records of newborns with sepsis managed in Neonatal Intensive Care Units in two University Hospitals between November 2019 and October 2020 were studied. Binary and multiple logistic regressions have been used to observe the association between independent variables and dependent variable. Results: A total of 162 cases of neonatal sepsis were reviewed. The mortality rate of neonatal sepsis was 21% of babies admitted. Very low birth weight (< 1500 grams) and primiparity were significantly associated with mortality in neonatal sepsis (AOR = 12.66; 95% CI 2.40 to 66.86; p = 0.003 and AOR = 3.35; 95% Cl 1.31 to 8.59; p = 0.012, respectively). Conclusion: The mortality rate of neonatal sepsis was 21%. Very low birth weight and primiparity were significantly associated with mortality in neonatal sepsis.

Knowledge, attitudes and practices among the population, towards COVID-19 in the Lubumbashi city (DR Congo): An online cross-sectional survey

Knowledge, attitudes and practices among the population, towards COVID-19 in the Lubumbashi city (DR Congo): An online cross-sectional survey

Prevalence of Hypertension and Associated Factors in Lubumbashi City, Democratic Republic of Congo: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study.

Background Hypertension is the leading cause of cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality worldwide. Its struggle involves knowing its prevalence. Insufficient data on hypertension in adults in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), prompted the conduct of this study. The objectives were to determine the prevalence of hypertension and to identify the associated factors in adults in Lubumbashi. Methodology. A cross-sectional study was carried out among 6,708 adults from October 15th to November 24th, 2018, in Lubumbashi. Anthropometric data, lifestyle, and medical history were collected. Hypertension was defined when the mean of the last two blood pressure (BP) measurements was greater than or equal for systolic (SBP) at 140 mmHg and for diastolic (DBP) at 90 mmHg or a history of taking antihypertensive medication whatever the value of the BP. Logistic regression was used to identify the relative effects of hypertension risk factors and all statistical tests were declared significant at a p value <0.05. Results The female participants numbered 4479 (66.8%). The mean age of all participants was 47.9 ± 16.5 years. The mean SBP and DBP were 128.4 ± 25.9 mmHg and 79.1 ± 15.3 mmHg, respectively. The overall prevalence of hypertension was 33.6%. This prevalence was statistically higher in women than in men (34.5% vs. 31.7%; p=0.024). After logistic regression, the risk of hypertension increased with age >50 years (aOR = 5.85 [5.19–6.60]), overweight (aOR = 1.25 [1.11–1.41]), obesity (aOR = 1.25 [1.11–1.41]), central obesity (aOR = 1.37 [1.16–1.61]), diabetes mellitus (aOR = 2.19 [1.63–2.95]), alcohol consumption (aOR = 1.21 [1.05–1.39]), nonconsumption of vegetables (aOR = 1.35 [1.02–1.80]), and history of stroke (aOR = 2.57 [1.88–3.51]). Hypertension was inversely associated with being underweight (aOR = 0.68 [0.53–0.87]). Conclusion The prevalence of hypertension in the city of Lubumbashi is high as in other cities of the DRC and Africa. This situation requires the implementation of prevention, detection, and treatment programs for hypertension.

Knowledge, attitudes and practices among the population, towards COVID-19 in the Lubumbashi city (DR Congo): An online cross-sectional survey

A survey was conducted online from December 30, 2020 to January 21, 2021, among the population of Lubumbashi city, to assess Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (KAP) towards COVID-19. The resource persons were self-selected at random, to have freely accepted to answer the online questionnaire. A total of 487 people (50.7% of women), with an average age of 28.3 ± 7.7 years, were interviewed. Overall, 98.2% said they were aware of COVID-19. This knowledge comes from several sources dominated by television (42.7%). Several respondents (71.9%) admitted to being afraid of human-to-human transmission of COVID-19; while 72.1% hope that this disease will stop one day. Protective practices against COVID-19 contamination are dominated by wearing a surgical mask, social distancing and hand washing (66.9%). Self-medication either with medicinal plants or with conventional drugs are the most recommended practices by the questioned people, in case of symptoms related to COVID-19 (70.6%). Most medicinal plants [predominated by Eucalyptus globulus Labill. (45.9%, n = 344)] and conventional drugs [predominantly aspirin (41.5%; n = 41)], cited in this case, are reported in various studies as being used in the management of patients with COVID-19. In general, the KAPs observed vary considerably according to the gender and study level of the questioned people. The level of knowledge about COVID-19 among the population of Lubumbashi seems satisfactory and its management acceptable. Practices to control the COVID-19 symptom are predominated by the use of both conventional and non-conventional medicine. However, sensitization of the population of Lubumbashi for a better knowledge and adequate management of this virus is desirable.

Mineral elements analysis and total flavonoids content in the fresh leaves from two varieties of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. consumed as vegetable in Lubumbashi (DR Congo)

Fresh leaves of sorrel (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) are among the most consumed vegetables in the Lubumbashi in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo). According to the literature, this vegetable shows the chemical variability depending on the culture area. Two varieties of this species, cultivated and consumed in Lubumbashi have not yet been studied for their micronutrient content, of which fruits and vegetables are the main sources. This study investigated the mineral and total flavonoid content of fresh leaves from red and green varieties of H. sabdariffa L., consumed as a vegetable in the aforementioned city. Fresh leaves of red and green variety of H. sabdariffa were purchased in 10 main markets of the Lubumbashi city. Gravimetric and spectrophotometric methods were used for analyzes of water, mineral and total flavonoids content. Three of the major mineral elements (Na, Ca, Mg) and several trace elements (Cu, Zn, Fe, Mn, Se, Co, Cr) were found in both varieties in elevated quantity in leaves of red variety. These latter were marked by a high content of iron (7 mg/100 g of fresh material) and Manganese (600 µg/100 g of fresh material). Total flavonoids quantification revealed that the leaves of red variety have a high value (28.2 ± 0.3 mg Quercetin Equivalent per g of extract) in total flavonoids compared to the leaves of green variety. Fresh leaves of the red variety of H. Sabdariffa consumed in Lubumbashi could be a source of iron for adults and manganese for children.

Assessment of Trace Metal Levels of Groundwater in Lubumbashi, Kampemba and Kamalondo Communes of Lubumbashi City, Democratic Republic of Congo

Assessment of Trace Metal Levels of Groundwater in Lubumbashi, Kampemba and Kamalondo Communes of Lubumbashi City, Democratic Republic of Congo

General practitioners’ knowledge, attitudes and practices on antibiotic prescribing for acute respiratory infections in children in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo

Objective: To assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices declared among general practitioners (GPs) concerning the use of antibiotics for the treatment of ARI in children under 5 years in Lubumbashi. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted to assess the level of knowledge, attitude and practices concerning antibiotic prescribing among 67 GPs working in the pediatric setting in various health structures in Lubumbashi city, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Data were collected from April 1st to June 30th, 2020. Results: GPs had limited knowledge about antibiotic prescriptions (mean of 46% correct answers to 8 questions). Although they are generally concerned about antibiotic resistance (mean ± SD = 0.50 ± 0.68), and are unwilling to submit to pressure to prescribe antibiotics to meet patient demands and expectations (mean ± SD = –1.78 ± 0.31) and the requirements to prescribe antibiotics for fear of losing patients (mean ± SD = –1.67 ± 0.47), there was a lack of motivation to change prescribing practices (mean ± SD = −0.37 ± 0.94) and strong agreement that they themselves should take responsibility for tackling antibiotic resistance (mean ± SD = 1.24 ± 0.74). Multiple linear regression results showed that higher knowledge scores were associated with less avoidance of responsibility when prescribing antibiotics (β = 0.919; p = 0.000). Conclusion: To curb the over-prescription of antibiotics, it is not enough to improve knowledge in itself. The lack of motivation of physicians to change must be addressed through a systematic approach. These data show the need for interventions that support the rational prescribing of antibiotics.

Self-medication with antimalarials drugs in Lubumbashi city (DR Congo)

Self-medication for malaria is very common in Sub-Saharan Africa where this parasitosis is endemic. In order to determine the extent, characteristics and factors associated with this practice in medical area in the city of Lubumbashi, a cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out by direct interview from January 2018 to June 2018, in the internal medicine departments of 10 General Referral Hospital (GRH) . Five thousand one hundred and thirty-four patients were consulted among them, 96.6% (average age 38.7 ± 8 years; average income: 100 ± 12 USD; gender male/ female ratio: 0.86) practice self-medication with antimalarials. They used it for the first time at an average age of 13-17 years. Quinine (36.4%) and Carica papaya (0.4%) are the most used remedies in conventional and non-conventional medicine, respectively. Several risks are incurred during this practice when the most cited are worsening side effects (53%), incomplete treatment (37%) and appearance to health sciences (37%). Age (17-35 and > 65 years old), low income (50-150 USD), membership in a health sector and the claim to know antimalarial drugs, predispose patients to self-medication. There is an urgent need to regulate this practice to avoid its harmful consequences.

Self-medication with antimalarials drugs in Lubumbashi city (DR Congo)

Self-medication with antimalarials drugs in Lubumbashi city (DR Congo)

Antipsychotic Prescribing Pattern in Elderly Patients with Psychiatric Disorders

The practice of marketing communication has long remained almost non-existent in the health care management sector for essentially ethical reasons, as long as the demand for the health care service was greater than its offer. Healthcare institutions did not feel the need to develop strategies to attract and retain patients. And yet, health organizations are a service provider that requires as much as other areas, the application of management science, including marketing. Changes in the modern social and economic environment require all service providers to behave and market-oriented to adapt to their respective markets, increasingly competitive markets. And one of the axes of this adaptation is their openness to marketing communication strategies... That is why, in this article, we want to reflect on the issues that today constitute the application of marketing communications strategies by health care institutions. This explanatory study was carried out on the contribution of the marketing communication strategy to performance in public and private hospitals in Lubumbashi city. The results of this study indicate that the appropriation of the marketing communication strategy has a positive and significant impact on the hospital performance (24% of the link rate between the marketing communication strategy and the hospital performance). In addition, the contextual pressure has a positive and significant impact on the success of the marketing communication strategy and the performance of the health care institutions (12% of the link rate between the environmental context and the implementation of the marketing communication strategy). The study highlights the need for healthcare institutions to implement the communication strategy in order to be successful in a dual goal of promoting health and patient satisfaction in addition to a significant competitive advantage.

Tree diversity and structure on green space of urban and peri-urban zones: The case of Lubumbashi City in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Urbanisation generally causes a number of ecological problems, mostly associated with loss or degradation of green spaces. In the city of Lubumbashi (Democratic Republic of Congo), not only the health of the local vegetation has been profoundly affected due to an accelerated and uncontrolled spatial dynamics, but decision-makers and planners are also short of data likely to maximise the environmental benefits provided by woody green spaces. Hence, this study was designed to characterize the plant diversity and structure of woody green spaces in Lubumbashi. The study area was divided into urban and peri-urban zones, with respect to the urbanisation level, and data were collected utilising a circular plots-based inventory. Sixty species of trees and shrubs, belonging to 22 families, were recorded. The considered woody green spaces are dominated by miombo woodland species, but Acacia auriculiformis remained the most common species. This study suggest the existence of tree and shrub species that are typical of the urban zone and the peri-urban zone. Comparatively however, the average diameter and the basal area of trees were significantly higher in the urban woody green spaces, which seems to suggest more old trees in urban zone. Both urban and peri-urban zones had a reverse-J-shaped size class profile, with a slight jump in the largest size class. The peri-urban woody green space had more small stems, but not markedly so, and recruitment was observed in both zones. Current results are important as they may in formulating guidelines and technical tools in assessing and monitoring the degradation of woody green spaces in the city of Lubumbashi.