Our Team
On-site gynaecologist
Dr Tony Elonge
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.
Trained nurse
Charlotte Utuki
Charlotte, whom everyone calls Charose, is the co-founder of a women’s group created after the rebellion. Her journey with these women is impressive. All volunteers, they started at seven and are now more than a hundred. They take care of psychological support for women, gardening and other income-generating activities in the neighbourhoods of Lodja.
On-site treasurer, Cœur de compassion
Natacha Mbueki
Natacha has worked for 15 years in the administration and finance of non-governmental organisations between Kinshasa and Lodja.
On-site medical director at Otema
Dr Valentin Ilunga
Dr Valentin is a general practitioner who came from a neighbouring region and settled specifically to serve the population of Sankuru.
On-site reception and cashier
Maman Anne Ekodi
Since the start of the project, Maman Anne has supported, assisted and worked for the advancement of the Otema project. She now looks after the cash desk and reception.
On-site
The Otema staff team
Alongside trainees and professionals who visit occasionally, it is above all the team on site that does most of the work, finding solutions with the means available to serve the most vulnerable people who come to this hospital, which is still under construction.
Mining cadastre official
Emile Mwimba
Civil servant in the field of mining cadastre, Emile is a member of the Cœur de compassion Committee in Lodja. He has already helped a lot with the logistics and administration of the Otema hospital project.
Director of Congolese Radio and Television in Lodja
Fabien M.
Director of Congolese Radio and Television in Lodja, Fabien is a member of the Cœur de compassion Committee. His network of contacts and his expertise in communication are of great contribution.
Doctor and nurse
Dominique and Danièle Bourgeois
Dominique is a doctor in Neuchâtel and a specialist in tropical medicine. With his wife, a nurse, they founded MEDAF in order to improve access to healthcare for the poorest, particularly in Africa. They worked in a bush hospital in Chad. They have supported Dr. Tony for many years.
Laboratory assistant
Liliane Jenzer
Liliane Jenzer is a laboratory assistant in Switzerland and very involved in the Otema project. Her help was invaluable both to equip the laboratory and for a follow-up mission in 2019, following which she participated in the implementation of improvements to the health structure, in particular through training.
Head of international partnerships
Michael Païta
Michael Païta has worked since 2008 as head of international partnerships at the NGO La Gerbe in France. Preparation of shipments of equipment, communication with local actors, field trips: he ensures that flexibility and transparency are maintained in the actions carried out.
Electrician
René Freymond
Electrician, René participated in the construction of Otema by calculating the electrical dimensioning of the Hospital. He went there in 2019 to install the electricity. Thanks to him, imaging instruments and electrical equipment in the operating room (lighting, scalpel, etc.) can work.
Filmmaker
Rob-Jan Lacombe
An award-winning filmmaker based in Lausanne, Rob-Jan Lacombe, at the beginning of 2015, travelled and lived for almost two months with Dr Tony and his family in Congo; a country that Rob-Jan knows well since he was born there and grew up there until he was 10 years old. He takes care of the visibility and graphic identity of Otema Hospital.
Marketing Specialist
David Towers
David Towers works in marketing in EMEA and is based in Lausanne. David has already helped several NGOs with internet marketing. Within the framework of the Otema hospital, he is the point of contact of the financial partners and takes care of the marketing, in particular of the website.
La Gerbe's logistics team
Logistics platform for sending equipment from Europe to Otema, the La Gerbe association requisitioned its team to load this equipment into containers that left in 2014 and 2018. These employees in integration thus find the way to employment while participating in humanitarian actions.