A group of male medical students are gathered around a human anatomic model. Verso: WHO/7741. Congo Emergency WHO aid 1960. W.H. Nov/Dec. The Congo, which became independent on 30 June 1960, constitutes the greatest constructive challenge that the United Nations has had to face since its beginning. The primary task of the group of WHO officers who are today in the Congo is to assist the Ministry of Health in taking emergency measures to maintain services in such fields as public health administration, medical care, sanitary engineering, laboratory work and nursing. They are also seeing to it that the best possible use is made of the medical teams some Govenments and many National Red Cross Societies have generously put at disposal of the Congo in response to the appeal made by the International Committee of the Red Cross and the League of Red Cross Societies. A few weeks after the appeal went out, there were in the Congo over 150 doctors and nurses from some 25 countries. For tomorrow, our major job is help the Congo to train its own physicians, nurses and other health workers who form the basis of health services in any country. In 1960 there is not one Congolese doctor. In 1961 there will probably be 2. In 1965 there may possibly be 20. In 1958 there were in the Congo 703 doctors, 82 pharmacists, 43 dentists, and 11 biologists, all of them European. These fugures indicate how grave a problem the Congo has had suddenly to face. Student medical auxiliaries during an anatomy lesson.
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World Health Organization; Source: Record; Research date: 20151103