ReliefWeb: Updates by Country

13.03.2024 16:30 Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo Sources: CCCM Cluster, International Organization for Migration, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Please refer to the attached Infographic. Le nombre des PDIs vivant dans les sites gérés et suivis par le cluster CCCM représentent 922 921 personnes au 31 décembre 2023. La situation présentée dans ce document met en exergue les éléments statistiques reçus des clusters provinciaux suivant une fréquence mensuelle. Le cluster CCCM prend en compte les sites sous sa gestion, certains sites spontanés et centres collectifs sous observation reconnus par le gouvernement de la RDC et suivis par le cluster. Il sied de noter que, jusqu’à la publication du présent rapport, le Bureau de Coordination des Affaires Humanitaires en RDC dénombre la population totale des PDIs en RDC à 6 461 153 pers. au 30 novembre 2023 . Par ailleurs, les chiffres du cluster CCCM, bien que pris en compte dans la population totale des PDIs publiée par OCHA, pourrait ne pas refléter la situation réelle des PDIs vivant dans les sites en RDC. Il est possible qu’il soit inclus dans l’ensemble de la population totale des PDIs citée par OCHA et vivant dans des sites spontanés non répertoriés par le CCCM, non inventoriés par le gouvernement, non autorisés ou en voie de désaffectation.

13.03.2024 16:30 Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo Sources: CCCM Cluster, International Organization for Migration, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Please refer to the attached Map.

13.03.2024 16:30 Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo Sources: CCCM Cluster, International Organization for Migration, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Please refer to the attached Map.

12.03.2024 23:40 Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo Source: Médecins Sans Frontières As fighting displaces thousands of people in North and South Kivu, concerns grow about the spread of disease due to overcrowded, unsanitary living conditions. A resurgence of violence between armed groups in eastern has displaced more than 1.6 million people over the last two years, in a region already devastated by 30 years of conflict. For two years, the armed group M23 has been fighting the Congolese army and its allies in North Kivu province, and the violence began to intensify in late January. Now, the fighting has reached the border with South Kivu province. This new escalation of the conflict has once again caused entire communities to flee. In just the first week of February, armed clashes forced over 70,000 people to flee to South Kivu and 200,000 people to Goma, where more than half a million displaced people had already over the past two years. New informal sites have sprung up, while existing sites have grown more crowded, with living conditions that fall far short of humanitarian standards. The current situation has raised major health concerns. First, the influx of newly displaced people arriving in Goma is exacerbating the critical health situation and urgent needs in camps and increases the risk of epidemics, especially . In addition, the proximity of the fighting is increasing the people face. Finally, the fighting around Goma makes it difficult to provide vital humanitarian support to remote areas of North and South Kivu, where the needs are also massive. Abdou Musengetsi, deputy medical coordinator with Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières , breaks down what's happening in eastern DRC and what it means for people impacted by the violence. How is this new outbreak of violence impacting people in the region? In recent weeks, violent clashes in Masisi territory of North Kivu have led to a new exodus around Sake and towards Goma, the provincial capital. In just 10 days, nearly 250,000 people fled the fighting. They are now sheltering with host families and in pre-existing, unofficial displacement sites---as well as new ones---mostly to the west of Goma. In these sites, families are crowded into makeshift shelters that offer little to no protection from the rain. Every day, people tell us it is a struggle to get enough food and clean drinking water---often going without. Hundreds of people are forced to share just one toilet and they have nowhere to wash. One woman who recently fled to Goma told us how she left with nothing but her children and the clothes on her back. She was forced to flee several times as the conflict spread, and now she lives in the camp, suffering every day, but has no option to return home as it is too unsafe. Meanwhile, the two MSF-supported hospitals and several MSF-supported health centers in Masisi territory have received influxes of war-wounded patients. Over the past two months, MSF teams in the Ministry of Health-run hospital in Mweso have treated around 146 war-wounded people, mostly for gunshot wounds and injuries from explosions. But the main access roads to the north, west, and south of Goma are inaccessible due to the insecurity and fighting, so it is extremely challenging to get supplies to these facilities. This has also severely hindered humanitarian and medical access to hundreds of thousands of people in the Masisi territory. In parallel, fighting on the border between North and South Kivu has caused tens of thousands of people to flee mainly southward, toward the city of Minova, which was already hosting many displaced people. People are sheltering wherever they can, in schools and dozens of different sites. Some of the health structures we support in the region have been overwhelmed with an increased number of patients suffering from illnesses related to the deterioration of their living conditions. We are also seeing more cases of and war-wounded . The hospital in Minova has received over 167 injured patients since February 2, including several women and children. In one single day, on March 7, the health staff received 40 injured people, and seven others were dead on arrival. Patients are forced to share beds and staff work around the clock with limited resources as bullets fly very close---the frontline is just five kilometers away. What are the main health concerns? At the health level, we fear a flare-up of diseases again---in particular, cholera, as fighting has forcing thousands to settle in overcrowded and unsanitary sites. Combined with the lack of access to clean water, this is creating the perfect conditions for the spread of cholera. We have already been dealing with cholera in some of the camps for months, so with the new influx of people arriving it is likely to exacerbate the existing outbreak. Before the resurgence of this conflict, the health situation in these two provinces was already dire due to low coverage among children under five years of age. Coverage is the lowest in around 30 years, according to the World Health Organization. Poorly functioning health structures---notably due to shortages of medications and a lack of trained health professionals---also contribute. MSF teams have supported the local authorities in responding to recurring epidemics of and cholera, which spiked last year after peaks of mass displacement. We also provide support to help increase access to general and specialized health care, particularly in more remote health zones such as Masisi, Mweso, or the Hauts Plateaux of the Minova health zone. How is the instability increasing health risks like cholera? Cholera is not a new disease in eastern DRC. It is endemic, and sporadic cases are regularly reported and treated. However, the situation is now extremely concerning due to the high number of people living in overcrowded displacement sites for the last 18 months, where the level of hygiene and sanitation, as well as safe drinking water, was clearly inadequate even before the recent arrival of hundreds of thousands of newly displaced people. The increase in cholera cases is directly linked to the lack of hygiene and a lack of access to safe drinking water and sanitary facilities such as clean latrines and showers. This disease can be fatal if not treated in time. Children are the most vulnerable and can die from cholera in just a few days. Depending on the severity of their illness, most patients need rapid oral or intravenous rehydration, but some people can be treated in the community by setting up oral rehydration points. In recent months, MSF teams have treated thousands of patients for cholera in displacement sites in and near Goma. In the first two months of this year, 75 percent of the over 1,000 patients MSF treated at our health center in Bulengo displacement site and Sake health center had just arrived and had no access to clean water, latrines, or hygiene products such as soap, while living in close proximity to other people. In the space of a few days, the population increased by 50 percent. These factors clearly contribute to the rapid spread of this highly contagious disease. What is MSF doing to prevent a cholera outbreak? In response to the complete lack of potable water, last year MSF built a on the shores of Lake Kivu that pumps and disinfects up to two million liters of potable water every day. We also distributed hundreds of thousands of gallons of potable water per day to the displacement sites, as well as constructed latrines and showers. Yet this is an emergency response and it is not enough to meet the needs, even more so with the new arrivals. It is urgent that other humanitarian organizations and Congolese authorities urgently respond with additional water trucking and building more emergency latrines. While we continue to vaccinate and treat patients for cholera---over 20,000 patients were treated in North and South Kivu in 2023 alone---if hygiene conditions do not improve, then our medical response will have little impact. Given the scale of the needs today, and the number of people living together in precarious conditions, we fear that cholera will spread very quickly, and that MSF alone will not be able to treat all the patients who become ill. Other humanitarian organizations need to step in urgently to avoid a health catastrophe.

12.03.2024 23:40 Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo Sources: Protection Cluster, Save the Children, UN Children's Fund Please refer to the attached file. RÉSUMÉ Le Sud Kivu est au centre de multiples crises superposées et récurrentes, marquées par des conflits intra et intercommunautaires. L’intensification des affrontements avec la crise du M23 au Nord Kivu a exacerbé la situation de protection au Sud Kivu, en causant des déplacements massifs de populations vers le territoire de Kalehe, et en reconfigurant les alliances entre groupes armés et leur remobilisation. En décembre 2023, le Conseil de Sécurité des Nations Unies a renouvelé le mandat de la MONUSCO jusqu’au 31 décembre 2024, tout en consacrant son retrait progressif, responsable et durable, à commencer par son retrait du Sud-Kivu d’ici la fin avril 2024 . Ce retrait de la MONUSCO aura un impact sur la protection des civils y compris les populations affectées, si des mesures adéquates ne sont pas prises en amont du retrait. Le nombre d’actes de violence et d’attaques délibérées menées contre des civils a augmenté au cours des derniers mois et risque de s’aggraver avec le départ imminent de la MONUSCO. Les risques de protection nécessitant une attention immédiate au cours de la période couverte par cette analyse sont les suivants : Attaques contre les civils et autres atteintes aux droits à l’intégrité physique Violences basées sur le genre Recrutement et utilisation des enfants dans les groupes armés Déplacement forcé et entrave à la liberté de mouvement Détresse mentale et psychosociale causée par les actes de violence

12.03.2024 15:10 Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo Source: Médecins Sans Frontières Cualquiera que entre en Kanyaruchinya, uno de los campamentos más grandes de Kivu Norte, en República Democrática del Congo, se sorprende por la cantidad de mujeres que corren de un lado a otro intentando ganarse la vida para ellas y sus familias, intentando mantener un mínimo de dignidad. En condiciones de vida inhumanas, miles de ellas crían a sus hijos, a menudo solas, y hacen todo lo posible por alimentarlos, a veces a costa de su propia seguridad, ya que la violencia sexual es una epidemia más. Estos son los testimonios de Alice, Francine y Jeanne. En los últimos dos años, más de un millón de mujeres, hombres, niños y niñas han huido de los continuos combates en la provincia de Kivu Norte, en República Democrática del Congo. Más de la mitad de ellas y ellos han buscado refugio cerca de la capital provincial, Goma, y viven en condiciones inhumanas en emplazamientos improvisados donde falta de todo: alojamiento digno, agua, alimentos, atención sanitaria y protección frente a la violencia, incluidas las agresiones sexuales. Kanyaruchinya, al norte de Goma, es uno de los campamentos más grandes de la región. Inicialmente acogió a personas afectadas por la erupción del volcán Nyiragongo en mayo de 2021, antes de ser reingresado por personas que huían de los combates iniciales en el territorio de Rutshuru. A finales de octubre de 2022, la población de Kanyaruchinya se triplicó en cuestión de días. Dieciocho meses después, unas 200.000 personas siguen viviendo allí en condiciones deplorables, en refugios construidos con ramas de árboles y láminas de plástico. En Kanyaruchinya, como en la mayoría de los alrededores de Goma, la ayuda humanitaria escasea. Cualquiera que entre en este vasto lugar se sorprende por la cantidad de mujeres que corren de un lado a otro intentando ganarse la vida para ellas y sus familias, intentando ganar algo de dinero recogiendo y vendiendo leña, cosiendo ropa o intentando cultivar las parcelas más pequeñas disponibles para mantener un mínimo de dignidad. En condiciones de vida absolutamente inhumanas, miles de ellas crían a sus hijos, a menudo solas, y hacen todo lo posible por alimentarlos, a veces a costa de su propia seguridad, ya que la violencia sexual dentro y fuera del lugar se convirtió rápidamente en otra epidemia, junto con el cólera y el sarampión. Para ayudarles a ellos y a la población de Kanyaruchinya, gestionamos el centro de salud local desde julio de 2022. Cada día, el pequeño centro recibe a unos 250 pacientes que necesitan atención primaria, mientras que la maternidad ayuda a dar a luz a una docena de mujeres cada día, casi 3.300 en 2023. Todas las mujeres que aparecen en este reportaje fotográficos se han beneficiado de esta ayuda. Sus testimonios, recogidos en enero de 2024, revelan su resiliencia ante los múltiples desplazamientos que han sufrido en sus vidas, su fuerza para mantener la esperanza a pesar de las duras condiciones de vida, pero también sus temores por el futuro de sus familias, ya que las esperanzas de paz son escasas y la violencia en el lugar donde han buscado refugio es, por desgracia, una realidad cotidiana. Alice, 19 años: "Los bandidos armados irrumpen en nuestras casas. Necesitamos que vuelva la paz". Huérfanos de padre y madre, Alice y sus hermanos pequeños huyeron de Buhumba, en el territorio de Nyiragongo, cuando los combates llegaron a su aldea. "Cuando vimos que la gente huía en masa, nos asustamos y nos colamos entre la multitud hasta el campamento de Bugere, cerca de Saké ”, recuerda. Para ganar algo de dinero para ella y sus hermanos en Bugere, Alice montó una pequeña tienda de bebidas en la carretera. Allí conoció a Elie, que también había huido de Buhumba, y con quien se trasladó a Kanyaruchinya. Aquí es donde la pareja vive desde febrero de 2023, y donde su hija, Rehema Alliance, nació 10 meses después en nuestra clínica. "A pesar de las condiciones de aquí, mi embarazo fue bien", dice, mirando su álbum de fotos, el único recuerdo que trajo de Buhumba. "Me atendieron bien en el centro de salud, nos dieron todas las medicinas que necesitábamos y el asesoramiento y la atención fueron gratuitos". Pero hoy le preocupa tener un hijo en el campamento. "Su futuro no es seguro en las condiciones actuales. Además, unos bandidos armados irrumpen en los refugios y nos piden dinero. Si no tienes dinero, corres el riesgo de que te maten". Para mantener a su familia, Elie realiza diversos trabajos ocasionales: mototaxi, peluquero, transportista de tablones de madera, etc. "No es suficiente para tener unos ingresos decentes, y nos cuesta encontrar lo suficiente para comer", suspira. "En estas condiciones, tener tu primer hijo es un poco triste, es difícil de explicar. Vivimos en un refugio donde el agua se escurre cuando llueve y es sofocante cuando brilla el sol". A pesar de todas las dificultades por las que están pasando Alice y Elie, "la llegada de este niño es una bendición", dice Alice. "Solo puedo ser feliz, y ella también. Pero debemos poder volver al pueblo cuando se restablezca la paz.Cuando recibo noticias de mi pueblo, los que se han quedado nos dicen que están sufriendo aún más que nosotros, porque no tienen ayuda humanitaria y los combatientes están destruyendo los campos... La paz debe volver". Francine, 24 años: "¿Qué diferencia hay entre este sitio y el pueblo del que huí? Originaria de Kiwanja, en el territorio de Rutshuru, Francine llegó al emplazamiento de Kanyaruchinya en octubre de 2022. "Huí en moto con mis abuelos hasta Rugari, pero no teníamos dinero para pagar el resto del viaje, así que caminamos hasta aquí durante días y noches sin comer", recuerda. Esta es la tercera vez desde 2006 que Francine se ve obligada a huir debido a los enfrentamientos en su ciudad natal. "Cada vez tienes que empezar tu vida de nuevo", suspira. Para sobrevivir, ella y su marido Jean-de-Dieu han montado un pequeño negocio en el lugar, pero se han endeudado y el dinero que ganan solo les permite comer una vez al día, una situación especialmente complicada para esta joven madre lactante que dio a luz hace apenas tres meses en nuestra maternidad, adonde ha acudido hoy para vacunar a su bebé. "A veces pierdes la cabeza y te desanimas totalmente", explica. "Mi embarazo fue una época de sufrimiento extremo. Estar embarazada y dormir sobre hojas bajo una lona es imposible.Y ahora, al paso que van las cosas, me preocupa mucho que mi bebé pronto sufra desnutrición. Es muy difícil encontrar alegría aquí". Además de las extremas condiciones de vida en el lugar, la violencia armada en el campo es otra fuente de preocupación para Francine, que pensaba que estaba a salvo de los hombres armados. "El crepitar de las balas es habitual en el campamento, día y noche", explica."A veces me pregunto qué diferencia hay entre aquí y el pueblo del que huí, entre las zonas ocupadas y este campo". Jeanne, 64 años: "Espero que mi hija y mi nieta tengan un futuro mejor que el mío". Jeanne vivía en Rugari, en el territorio de Rutshuru, cuando se vio obligada a huir de los combates y buscar refugio en Kanyaruchinya. Es la segunda vez que tiene que huir de la violencia en Rutshuru. "Lo he perdido todo", nos cuenta desde su minúsculo refugio hecho de ramas y plástico, donde ha vivido "durante cuatro cosechas de patatas". Demasiado mayor para ayudar en el campo, ahora depende de la solidaridad de otros desplazados para sobrevivir. Pero dadas las condiciones del campo, admite pasar días sin comer. "De mis ocho hijos, solo una ha sobrevivido a la enfermedad y a la violencia", dice. "Está embarazada de 8 meses y temo mucho por ella porque tiene que trabajar en el campo y cargar tablones para salir adelante". Su hija Aimée no pudo quedarse en Kanyaruchinya debido a las condiciones de vida en el campo. "Tuve que trasladarme a Kibati, a dos kilómetros, para alojarme en la cabaña de madera de mi marido porque los médicos me dijeron que, dado mi embarazo, ya no podía dormir sobre las piedras del suelo. Es la primera vez que experimento un embarazo en estas condiciones y estoy muy preocupada por el futuro de mi hija". Jeanne vive ahora sola en el campo. "Espero que mi hija y mi nieta tengan un futuro mejor. Hoy no me queda más remedio que tener esperanza. Mi mayor sueño es volver a casa cuando se restablezca la paz. Confío en Dios, es el único que puede traer una paz duradera".

12.03.2024 15:10 Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Please refer to the attached file. Kinshasa, 12 mars 2024 – M. Ramesh Rajasingham, Représentant du bureau de OCHA à Genève et Directeur de la Division de la Coordination des opérations humanitaires, effectue une visite de travail en République démocratique du Congo du 11 au 16 mars 2024. Le 11 mars, M. Rajasingham s'est entretenu à Kinshasa avec le Ministre des Affaires Sociales, Actions Humanitaires et Solidarité Nationale. Les discussions ont porté sur la gravité de la crise humanitaire et l'importance d'une collaboration franche entre le Gouvernement de la République démocratique du Congo et les partenaires humanitaires. L'objectif est de répondre de manière coordonnée et efficace aux besoins des populations touchées par les conflits dans l'est du pays, ainsi que par les chocs climatiques qui affectent le pays depuis plusieurs mois. À partir du 12 mars, M. Rajasingham se rendra dans l'est du pays, notamment au Nord-Kivu et au Sud-Kivu. À Goma , il rencontrera les autorités provinciales, les acteurs humanitaires et les organisations de la société civile impliquées dans la réponse humanitaire. Il aura également l'occasion d'échanger avec les personnes affectées par la crise. Le Directeur de la Coordination de OCHA se rendra ensuite au Sud-Kivu où il rencontrera les responsables de la MONUSCO, les donateurs et les acteurs humanitaires. Les discussions porteront sur les dispositions pratiques à mettre en place pour garantir la continuation des opérations humanitaires, en toute sécurité et dans le respect des principes humanitaires, après le retrait de la MONUSCO. La situation humanitaire en RDC demeure dramatique et complexe. En 2024, près d'un quart de la population du pays est en d’insécurité alimentaire aigue. L'escalade de la violence, l’exacerbation des conflits intercommunautaires et de l'instabilité à l'est du pays augmente les défis humanitaires existants, tels que l'insécurité alimentaire et les graves problèmes de protection, dont les violences basées sur le genre. Cette année, les acteurs humanitaires ont besoin de 2,6 milliards de dollars américains pour apporter de l'assistance à 8,7 millions de personnes parmi les plus vulnérables du pays. Pour plus d’informations, veuillez contacter: • Jean Jonas Tossa, Chargé de l’Information Publique, OCHA, +243817061220, tossa4@un.org

12.03.2024 15:10 Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Please refer to the attached file. Kinshasa, 12 March 2024 – Mr. Ramesh Rajasingham, Representative of the OCHA Office in Geneva and Director of the Division of Humanitarian Operations Coordination, is on a working visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 11 to 16 March 2024. On 11 March, Mr. Rajasingham met with the Minister of Social Affairs, Humanitarian Actions and National Solidarity in Kinshasa. The discussions focused on the severity of the humanitarian crisis and the importance of close collaboration between the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and humanitarian partners. The aim is to respond in a coordinated and effective manner to the needs of the populations affected by the conflicts in the east of the country, as well as by the climatic shocks that have been affecting the country for several months. From 12 March onwards, Mr. Rajasingham will visit the east of the country, including North Kivu and South Kivu. In Goma , he will meet with the provincial authorities, humanitarian actors and civil society organizations involved in the humanitarian response. He will also have the opportunity to exchange views with people affected by the crisis. The Director of OCHA Coordination will then travel to South Kivu where he will meet with MONUSCO officials, donors and humanitarian actors. The discussions will focus on the practical arrangements to be put in place to ensure the continuation of humanitarian operations, in complete safety and in accordance with humanitarian principles, after the withdrawal of MONUSCO. The humanitarian situation in the DRC remains dramatic and complex. Nearly a quarter of the country's population have high multisectoral needs in 2024. The escalation of tensions, intercommunal conflicts and instability in eastern DRC is exacerbating existing humanitarian challenges, such as food insecurity and serious protection problems, including gender-based violence. This year, humanitarian actors need US$2.6 billion to provide assistance to 8.7 million of the most vulnerable people in the country. For more information, please contact: Jean Jonas Tossa, Public Information Officer, OCHA, +243817061220, tossa4@un.org

12.03.2024 15:10 Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo Source: Médecins Sans Frontières Two years of violent fighting between the M23 armed group and the Congolese army and its allies in North Kivu province in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo intensified late January. Fighting has now reached the border with South Kivu province, causing new mass displacement. More than 1.6 million people have already been forced to leave their homes since March 2022, in an area of the country already devastated by 30 years of conflict. Here, Abdou Musengetsi, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières deputy medical coordinator, describes the situation and medical needs of people in the region. What are the direct consequences of this new outbreak of violence? In recent weeks violent clashes in Masisi territory of North Kivu have led to a new exodus around Sake and towards Goma, the provincial capital. In just 10 days, nearly 250,000 people fled fighting. They are now sheltering with host families and in already existing, unofficial displacement sites – as well as new ones – mostly to the west of Goma. In these sites, families crowd into makeshift shelters that offer little to no protection from the rain. Everyday people tell us it is a struggle to get enough food and clean drinking water – often going without. Hundreds of people are forced to share just one toilet and they have nowhere to wash. One woman who recently fled to Goma told us how she left with nothing but her children and the clothes on her back. She was forced to flee several times as the conflict spread. Now she lives in the camp, suffering every day, but has no option to return home as it is too unsafe. ​ Meanwhile, the two MSF supported hospitals and several MSF-supported health centres in Masisi territory, have received influxes of war-wounded patients. Over the past two months, MSF teams in the Ministry of Health-run hospital in Mweso have treated around 146 war-wounded people, mostly for gunshot wounds and injuries from explosions. But the main access roads to the north, west and south of Goma are inaccessible due to the insecurity and fighting, so it is extremely challenging to get supplies to these facilities. This has also severely hindered humanitarian and medical access to hundreds of thousands of people in the Masisi territory. In parallel, fighting on the border between North and South Kivu has caused tens of thousands of people to flee mainly southwards, towards the city of Minova, which was already hosting many displaced people. People are sheltering wherever they can, in schools and in dozens of different sites. Some of the health structures we support in the region have been overwhelmed with an increased number of patients suffering from illnesses related to the deterioration of their living conditions. But we are also seeing more cases of sexual violence and war wounded. The hospital in Minova has received over 167 injured patients since February 2, including several women and children. In one single day, on March 7, the health staff received 40 injured people and 7 other people arrived dead to the facility. Patients are forced to share beds and staff work around the clock with limited resources as bullets fly very close – the frontline is just five kilometres away. What are your biggest concerns? At the health level, we fear a flare up of diseases again – in particular cholera, as fighting has forcing thousands to settle in overcrowded and unsanitary sites. Combined with the lack of access to clean water, this is creating the perfect conditions for the spread of cholera. We have already been dealing with cholera in some of the camps for some months, so with the new influx of people arriving it is likely to exacerbate the existing outbreak. Before the resurgence of this conflict, the health situation in these two provinces was already dire, due to low vaccination coverage among children under five years of age. Coverage is the lowest in around 30 years according to the World Health Organization . Poorly functioning health structures notably due to shortages of medications and a lack of trained health professionals, also contribute. MSF teams have supported the local authorities to respond to recurring epidemics of measles and cholera, which spiked last year after peaks of mass displacement. We also provide support to help increase access to general and specialised healthcare, particularly in more remote health zones such as Masisi, Mweso or the Hauts Plateaux of the Minova health zone. If the number of cholera cases increases, what are the risks for the people? Cholera is not a new disease in eastern DRC. It is endemic, and sporadic cases are regularly reported and treated. However, the situation is now extremely concerning due to the high number of people living in overcrowded displacement sites for the last 18 months, where the level of hygiene and sanitation, as well as safe drinking water, was clearly inadequate even before the recent arrival of hundreds of thousands of newly displaced people. The increase in cholera cases is directly linked to the lack of hygiene and a lack of access to safe drinking water and sanitary facilities such as clean latrines and showers. This disease can be fatal if not treated in time. Children are the most vulnerable and can die from cholera in just a few days. Depending on the severity of their illness, most patients need rapid oral or intravenous rehydration, but some people can be treated in the community by setting up oral rehydration points. In recent months, MSF teams have treated thousands of patients for cholera in displacement sites in and near Goma. Since the beginning of the year, in two months, 75% of the over 1,000 patients MSF treated at our health centre in the Bulengo displacement site and in the Sake health centre, had just arrived at the site and had no access to clean water, latrines or hygiene products such as soap, and were living in close proximity to other people. In the space of a few days, the site's population increased by 50%. These factors clearly contribute to the rapid spread of this highly contagious disease. What is MSF doing to prevent an outbreak? In response to the complete lack of potable water, last year MSF built a water pumping and chlorination station on the shores of Lake Kivu that pumps and disinfects up to two million litres of potable water every day. We also distributed hundreds of thousands of gallons of potable water per day with trucks which go to the displacement sites, as well as constructed latrines and showers. Yet this an emergency response and it is not enough to meet the needs, even more so with the new arrivals. It is urgent that other humanitarian organisations and Congolese authorities urgently respond with additional water trucking and building more emergency latrines. While we continue to vaccinate against and treat patients for cholera – with over 20,000 patients treated in North and South Kivu in 2023 alone – if hygiene conditions do not improve, then our medical response will have little impact. Given the scale of the needs today, and the number of people living together in precarious conditions, we fear that cholera will spread very quickly, and that MSF alone will not be able to treat all the patients who become ill. Other humanitarian organisations need to step in urgently to avoid a health catastrophe. 1 Hannah Hoexter Senior Press Officer, MSF UK 7342 662 441

12.03.2024 06:12 Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo Source: Concern Worldwide Irish humanitarian organisation Concern Worldwide has scaled up its response in the Democratic Republic of Congo where each day thousands of people are fleeing from the moving frontlines of a conflict involving multiple armed groups. An escalation in fighting between non-state armed groups and Congolese armed forces around 20km from the city of Goma in the eastern region of the DRC has resulted in hundreds of thousands of people fleeing villages and towns in recent weeks. The increase in violence began in early February and has seen areas populated by civilians struck by artillery and mortar fire. “People are stuck very close to the front lines. They are afraid and have nowhere else to go,” said Concern’s DRC Country Director Antoine Sagot-Priez. “Access to those most in need is becoming more and more challenging. There are regular violations of international humanitarian law by different parties to the conflict, which is a major concern for the general population and for our staff in the field. “Despite the difficulties, we have scaled up our emergency response to provide clean water and sanitation infrastructure, particularly around Goma, the capital of the North Kivu province in the east of the country, which is prone to Cholera outbreaks. “We are also organising emergency distributions as part of our response to the growing need for food and basic items for displaced and host communities in the region. “People are fleeing their homes with little or nothing and are worried about meals and safe places to sleep for them and their children. “Temporary displacement sites are frequently surrounded by armed groups and gunmen. In such a situation of violence and acute vulnerability, the risk of sexual abuse and exploitation is extremely high. “We will keep working here with the support of our donors, but this is not business as usual in the DRC. We need people to know what is happening here.” An estimated seven million people have been displaced from their homes in the DRC as a result of a number of conflicts in recent years. The DRC is one of the poorest countries in the world, despite being rich in natural resources. Concern has been operating in the DRC since 1994 and responded to many emergencies in the country, including Ebola outbreaks. Ends For more information or interview requests please contact Kevin Jenkinson at .

11.03.2024 21:40 Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo Source: Salesian Missions Salesians respond to needs due to continuing clashes in Masisi territory Salesian missionaries are providing shelter and support for those who have been displaced by recent fighting in the Masisi territory in Sake, near Goma, in the east of the *. Clashes between the regular army and the rebels have intensified, causing more than 3,000 people to flee the area to seek shelter and safety. Salesians on the ground report that the humanitarian situation is serious and risks getting worse. Bombs have fallen in Sake and shots can be heard throughout the area. The situation has left people without food or water. Due to poor hygienic conditions, people are facing cholera. "Along the Sake-Goma road, toward Mugunga, we see children, young and old, sitting, tired, they don't know where to go," explained Pascal Bauma, from the Salesians of Goma Project Office. "They were displaced people who had previously set their sights on Sake. Now, following the clashes, they were forced to leave Sake and head toward Goma. This is the second time these people have had to flee for safety." Given the ongoing clashes in the region, there is no more space available in the refugee camps. Those who are displaced must find alternative living arrangements. "We cannot yet estimate the number of people who have moved from Sake to Goma because the situation is ongoing," added Bauma. "Thousands of families have been forced to leave. There are those who stayed in Shasha and Sake because they were afraid of living as a displaced person. Others stayed in Mugunga waiting for the situation to improve so they can quickly return home." In Goma, people who have been displaced are living in difficult conditions. Streets that allowed food supplies to be brought in are no longer accessible. If things do not change, a serious famine looms for all the inhabitants of Goma, reported the Salesians. The scarcity of some foodstuffs is already noted, and the population is living under extreme duress. The added worry is that the city will fall into the hands of the rebels. Salesians in the region are working to provide support. There are more than 3,500 families living on the grounds of Don Bosco Ngangi. There were another 1,000 at Don Bosco Shasha until the rebels moved in. Now it is nearly empty. Salesians have also been providing food and non-food items for those displaced and dependent on humanitarian aid. Salesians have distributed corn, soy and sorghum to the children, as well as offered games, hot meals, school and medical care. In addition, Salesians have a medical dispensary at Don Bosco Ngangi and plan to offer schooling to the displaced children and vocational training education for the older youth. The goal upcoming is to offer training for social workers on how to best help unaccompanied minors as well as economic support for families to be able to start small income-generating activities. Salesians in the country are calling on the international community to help with donations and humanitarian aid to help alleviate the challenges the displaces have faced.

11.03.2024 21:40 Countries: Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mali, Niger, Nigeria Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Please refer to the attached Infographic.

11.03.2024 21:40 Countries: Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mali, Niger, Nigeria Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Please refer to the attached Infographic.

11.03.2024 21:40 Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo Source: Médecins Sans Frontières As fighting displaces thousands of people in North and South Kivu, MSF is concerned about spread of disease due to overcrowded, unsanitary living conditions Two years of violent fighting between the M23 armed group and the Congolese army and its allies in North Kivu province in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo intensified late January. Fighting has now reached the border with South Kivu province, causing new mass displacement. More than 1.6 million people have already been forced to leave their homes since March 2022, in an area of the country already devastated by 30 years of conflict. Here, Abdou Musengetsi, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières deputy medical coordinator, describes the situation and medical needs of people in the region. What are the direct consequences of this new outbreak of violence? In recent weeks violent clashes in Masisi territory of North Kivu have led to a new exodus around Sake and towards Goma, the provincial capital. In just 10 days, nearly 250,000 people fled fighting. They are now sheltering with host families and in already existing, unofficial displacement sites – as well as new ones – mostly to the west of Goma. In these sites, families crowd into makeshift shelters that offer little to no protection from the rain. Everyday people tell us it is a struggle to get enough food and clean drinking water – often going without. Hundreds of people are forced to share just one toilet and they have nowhere to wash. One woman who recently fled to Goma told us how she left with nothing but her children and the clothes on her back. She was forced to flee several times as the conflict spread. Now she lives in the camp, suffering every day, but has no option to return home as it is too unsafe. ​ Meanwhile, the two MSF supported hospitals and several MSF-supported health centres in Masisi territory, have received influxes of war-wounded patients. Over the past two months, MSF teams in the Ministry of Health-run hospital in Mweso have treated around 146 war-wounded people, mostly for gunshot wounds and injuries from explosions. But the main access roads to the north, west and south of Goma are inaccessible due to the insecurity and fighting, so it is extremely challenging to get supplies to these facilities. This has also severely hindered humanitarian and medical access to hundreds of thousands of people in the Masisi territory. In parallel, fighting on the border between North and South Kivu has caused tens of thousands of people to flee mainly southwards, towards the city of Minova, which was already hosting many displaced people. People are sheltering wherever they can, in schools and in dozens of different sites. Some of the health structures we support in the region have been overwhelmed with an increased number of patients suffering from illnesses related to the deterioration of their living conditions. But we are also seeing more cases of sexual violence and war wounded. The hospital in Minova has received over 167 injured patients since February 2, including several women and children. In one single day, on March 7, the health staff received 40 injured people and 7 other people arrived dead to the facility. Patients are forced to share beds and staff work around the clock with limited resources as bullets fly very close – the frontline is just five kilometres away. What are your biggest concerns? At the health level, we fear a flare up of diseases again – in particular cholera, as fighting has forcing thousands to settle in overcrowded and unsanitary sites. Combined with the lack of access to clean water, this is creating the perfect conditions for the spread of cholera. We have already been dealing with cholera in some of the camps for some months, so with the new influx of people arriving it is likely to exacerbate the existing outbreak. Before the resurgence of this conflict, the health situation in these two provinces was already dire, due to low vaccination coverage among children under five years of age. Coverage is the lowest in around 30 years according to the World Health Organization . Poorly functioning health structures notably due to shortages of medications and a lack of trained health professionals, also contribute. MSF teams have supported the local authorities to respond to recurring epidemics of measles and cholera, which spiked last year after peaks of mass displacement. We also provide support to help increase access to general and specialised healthcare, particularly in more remote health zones such as Masisi, Mweso or the Hauts Plateaux of the Minova health zone. If the number of cholera cases increases, what are the risks for the people? Cholera is not a new disease in eastern DRC. It is endemic, and sporadic cases are regularly reported and treated. However, the situation is now extremely concerning due to the high number of people living in overcrowded displacement sites for the last 18 months, where the level of hygiene and sanitation, as well as safe drinking water, was clearly inadequate even before the recent arrival of hundreds of thousands of newly displaced people. The increase in cholera cases is directly linked to the lack of hygiene and a lack of access to safe drinking water and sanitary facilities such as clean latrines and showers. This disease can be fatal if not treated in time. Children are the most vulnerable and can die from cholera in just a few days. Depending on the severity of their illness, most patients need rapid oral or intravenous rehydration, but some people can be treated in the community by setting up oral rehydration points. In recent months, MSF teams have treated thousands of patients for cholera in displacement sites in and near Goma. Since the beginning of the year, in two months, 75% of the over 1,000 patients MSF treated at our health centre in the Bulengo displacement site and in the Sake health centre, had just arrived at the site and had no access to clean water, latrines or hygiene products such as soap, and were living in close proximity to other people. In the space of a few days, the site's population increased by 50%. These factors clearly contribute to the rapid spread of this highly contagious disease. What is MSF doing to prevent an outbreak? In response to the complete lack of potable water, last year MSF built a water pumping and chlorination station on the shores of Lake Kivu that pumps and disinfects up to two million litres of potable water every day. We also distributed hundreds of thousands of gallons of potable water per day with trucks which go to the displacement sites, as well as constructed latrines and showers. Yet this an emergency response and it is not enough to meet the needs, even more so with the new arrivals. It is urgent that other humanitarian organisations and Congolese authorities urgently respond with additional water trucking and building more emergency latrines. While we continue to vaccinate against and treat patients for cholera – with over 20,000 patients treated in North and South Kivu in 2023 alone – if hygiene conditions do not improve, then our medical response will have little impact. Given the scale of the needs today, and the number of people living together in precarious conditions, we fear that cholera will spread very quickly, and that MSF alone will not be able to treat all the patients who become ill. Other humanitarian organisations need to step in urgently to avoid a health catastrophe. 1 Hannah Hoexter Senior Press Officer, MSF UK 7342 662 441

11.03.2024 13:11 Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo Source: Handicap International - Humanity & Inclusion With the escalation of violence and insecurity in North Kivu in the DRC, the humanitarian needs of the population are growing by the day. HI is helping to provide emergency assistance. Civilians, the principal victims of the violence At the end of 2023, the Democratic Republic of Congo had already registered some 7 million internally displaced people in the country1, many of them living in its eastern provinces. Since November 2023, fighting between the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the fighters of the March 23 Movement has intensified further, reaching catastrophic proportions. This is particularly the case in the towns of Mweso and Katsiru in Masisi territory and, more recently, around the town of Sake, just 25 km from Goma. The use of heavy artillery and mortars in densely populated areas, such as the outskirts of the city of Goma, has caused extensive damage. Civilian infrastructure such as hospitals, schools and camps for displaced people are being directly targeted and hundreds of people have already lost their lives in the fighting. To escape the violence and insecurity, almost 215,000 people have been displaced since the start of the year, joining the 500,000 displaced people already living in the areas around Goma2. Today, 2.6 million people in North Kivu are in need of humanitarian assistance3. In this context, humanitarian needs are critical among populations who no longer have any shelter, income or access to healthcare, yet violent clashes along the main roads are seriously restricting access to displaced people, preventing the deployment of humanitarian aid. "Some roads are regularly blocked by clashes between armed groups, hindering humanitarian access and cutting civilians off from vital support. Hundreds of thousands of people are in urgent need of water, food, medicines and healthcare," says Olivier Terzolo, HI's Country Director in the DRC. Providing urgent humanitarian aid Given the level of violence, HI has had to suspend some of its activities in Mweso and Sake in order to evacuate its teams and move them to safety. However, there are still teams providing rehabilitation services and mental health support in different sites around the city of Goma, home to hundreds of thousands of displaced people. Through these operations, underway since September 2022, teams were able to deliver care to more than 2,700 patients and carry out 342 physical and functional rehabilitation interventions in 2023, including the provision of mobility aids, prosthetic devices and education in good rehabilitation practices through exercises and advice given to patients and their caregivers. "Many displaced people have been victims of violence and experienced traumatic events before or during their flight. When they arrive in the camps, they need medical care and psychosocial support," explains Olivier. Drawing on its experience and logistical expertise in the DRC, HI is also continuing to transport humanitarian goods on behalf of other NGOs to ensure lifesaving aid reaches the displaced populations in North Kivu. Between October 2023 and February 2024, more than 500,000 tonnes of equipment and humanitarian goods were transported by HI in 70 trucks, covering more than 4,200 km. This equipment was destined for 12 NGOs operating in 10 areas of North Kivu. "The security and humanitarian situation has deteriorated considerably in North Kivu. IDP sites around Goma have been affected, undermining the protection of displaced populations and HI's access to them. Therefore, we are asking that passage and unhindered access for humanitarian personnel be guaranteed and that the civilian status of IDP sites be respected," concludes Olivier. "Some roads are regularly blocked by clashes between armed groups, hindering humanitarian access and cutting civilians off from vital support. Hundreds of thousands of people are in urgent need of water, food, medicines and healthcare," says Olivier Terzolo, HI's Country Director in the DRC.