DRC: Statement following the passing away of our colleague Jerry Kavali

It is with great sadness that we are sharing the news of the passing of our colleague, Jerry Muhindo Kavali, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). He died today from the gunshot wound he suffered while at the Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) base in Masisi town, North Kivu, during clashes between the VDP/Wazalendo and the M23/AFC … Read more

DRC: Civilians caught in crossfire in the Kivus

Marie Brun is an emergency coordinator for Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in Goma, in the province of North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo. She provides an update on the intensification of fighting between several armed groups, including the M23, and the Congolese armed forces since the start of the year, and the consequences for civilians … Read more

Clean water: a scarce resource for displaced people around Goma

Access to clean water is a major challenge for the hundreds of thousands of displaced people who have been surviving for months in makeshift camps located on the outskirts of Goma. Due to the contagion of waterborne diseases such as cholera, extremely poor hygienic conditions, and higher risk of exposure to violence when getting supplies … Read more

DRC: Emergency response against cholera in the territory of Rutshuru

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) / Doctors Without Borders teams have been mobilised urgently in the territory of Rutshuru, in the East of the Democratic Republic of Congo, in response to an outbreak of suspected cases of cholera, particularly in the Binza and Rutshuru health zones. More than 1,500 patients have been treated since the beginning … Read more

Measles in DRC: the never-ending fight against one of the world’s most contagious disease?

Every two to three years, measles outbreaks affect tens or even hundreds of thousands of children in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Last year was no exception, with more than 148,600 cases and 1,800 deaths reported[1]. How can this recurring emergency be explained? And, above all, how can we put an end to it? When … Read more

Displaced communities are losing hope as the M23 crisis drags on in North Kivu

“The whole family was in the field working when the shooting started. We ran away and walked for three hours to Rumangabo in the rain,” says Ponsie Benda, 54. The father of 13 found refuge in Virunga National Park’s primary school in Rumangabo in June, when clashes between the M23 armed group and the Congolese … Read more

DRC Ebola outbreak: DRC’s thirteenth Ebola outbreak

Thirteenth Ebola outbreak declared in DRC Following a series of community deaths in North Kivu province, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the DRC Ministry of Health declared an outbreak of Ebola on 8 October. The outbreak is concentrated in Beni health zone. This is the thirteenth epidemic in DRC, the third in North Kivu province and the second in … Read more

Thousands of survivors of sexual violence in serious need of care in DRC

A new report from MSF warns of a lack of support for thousands of survivors of sexual violence, including children, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). In 2020, nearly 11,000 people were assisted by our teams in DRC for physical and psychological conditions related to sexual violence. We call on the Congolese authorities and partners to respond … Read more

DRC Ebola outbreak: Improved medical response sees the end of DRC’s eleventh Ebola outbreak

The Ebola outbreak in Équateur province, northwestern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), has come to an end almost six months after it started thanks to an improved approach to patient care, said Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). The outbreak, the eleventh recorded in the country’s recent history, spread relatively slowly after it was declared on … Read more

DRC Ebola outbreak: Responding to new Ebola outbreak in Équateur province

On 1 June 2020, a new Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak was declared in Équateur province, western Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the country’s eleventh recorded epidemic. Declared while DRC was still grappling with the tenth Ebola epidemic in the country’s northeast, and amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, this new Ebola outbreak in DRC has already spread to 11 health zones in the … Read more