About

Having qualified in Medicine at the University of Kinshasa, Dr Tony Elonge Otshudy became, in 2006, chief medical officer of the Tshudi Loto Health Zone in Sankuru, the province in central Congo where he grew up. Aware of the specific needs of the region, he specialised in obstetrics and gynaecology at the University of Cocody in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, then, thanks to a scholarship awarded for his excellent results, specialised in surgery at the Creil hospital centre in France.

In 2014, rather than accept an offer to continue his career in France, he decided to return home to serve the population. He founded the association “Cœur de compassion” and is particularly committed to the physical and psychological health of women affected by fistulas. His motivating enthusiasm and entrepreneurial skills have earned him the trust of several NGOs. MEDAF in Switzerland, and La Gerbe and the AFD in France, support Dr Tony’s work and have sent, among other things, several containers of equipment to equip Otema since 2014. The credibility given to him by his skills and by his initiatives for the development of health care in his country leads patients to travel, at times, more than 400 km to receive his care.

In addition to the surgical procedures carried out at Otema, Dr Elonge leads surgical missions across the province, to reach populations who need care but are too far away to travel to Lodja without great difficulty. In November 2019, UNFPA asked Dr Elonge to carry out 102 fistula and prolapse repair operations in the town of Lusambo.