The Tropical Medical Fund, Fometro for short, was founded in 1961, shortly after the Belgian Congo became the independent state of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The main aim of Fometro was to sustain medical activity in that country, and in the neighbouring countries of Rwanda and Burundi.

Ever since, Fometro has been involved in health care delivery in DRC, mainly in four domains:

• Supporting basic health care facilities and hospitals in specific medical districts;

• Campaigning against sleeping sickness by testing and treating infected people, and by destroying tsetse flies;

• Fighting against other major tropical conditions (such as malaria, tuberculosis and malnutrition);

• Training of national staff, especially in preventative care and cure.

From 1990 on, after the collapse of official Belgian cooperation with President Mobutu of the DRC (then known as Zaire), Fometro began its search for proper financing in order to continue its activities. In 1997 Fometro obtained its official status as an NGO.

Representatives of all major Belgian universities and several experts in medical cooperation with the DRC are members of its General Assembly.

Board of Directors
Prof Marc Wéry, president
Prof Herman Van Loon, executive director
Mr Jean Ghiste
Dr Pol Jansegers

Brussel's office
Dr Peter Persyn, project manager and secretary of the board

Kinshasa office
Dr Jean-Bosco Hulute, coordinator
Dr Abdon Kisanga, malaria and AIDS
Drs Freddy Salumu and Olivier Kalombo, Primary Health Care
Dr Justin Masimango, Sleeping sickness

Mr Pierre Andrianne, Mrs Claudine Falkenburg: administration, logistics and finances