“`html
Health Care System in Eastern DRC Collapses Amid War with M23
Table of Contents
health care system is collapsing due to conflict with M23,leaving residents without essential medicines and care.">
LUBERO, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO – Months of escalating conflict between government forces and the M23 rebel group, backed by Rwanda, have devastated the health care infrastructure in eastern Democratic Republic of congo (DRC). Medical facilities in the Lubero territory face looting, closures, supply shortages, staff departures, and transportation challenges, leaving countless residents without access to essential medical care.
Critical Medicine Shortages Plague Eastern DRC
Luseko Kakule, president of a pharmacy owners association in Kirumba, reports that six patients recently died while trying to reach medical assistance due to road blockades hindering medical transfers and pharmacy resupply.The scarcity of malaria medications is particularly alarming. Detours add prohibitive costs, disproportionately affecting impoverished patients.
Did You Know? Malaria is a leading cause of death in the DRC, particularly among children under five. The country accounts for approximately 3% of global malaria cases and deaths, according to the World Health Organization [[1]].
The Kasando health center’s head nurse, Muhindo Muyisa, describes the war as “paralyzing” their operations. Access to vaccines and quality medicines is severely limited due to road closures, making patient referrals to better-equipped facilities nearly impossible.
M23 advances Disrupt Local Economies and Health Services
As late 2021, the M23 has expanded its control along the DRC’s eastern border, establishing parallel administrations in captured areas, including Kirumba.Debora Kahindo Syaminya, a pharmacy manager in Kirumba, notes that increased product declaration fees imposed by the M23 governance exacerbate the challenges.
The price of common antibiotics has nearly doubled, and essential medications like insulin have vanished from the market. Kavugho Lipanda, a Kirumba resident, laments the inability to find insulin for her diabetic mother, whose condition is deteriorating due to the lack of regular access to the medication.
Pro Tip: Check with local aid organizations for potential access to emergency medical supplies or assistance programs.
Looting and Closures Further Strain Resources
M23’s capture of Goma earlier this year resulted in the looting of aid warehouses and the evacuation of humanitarian staff. The closure of Goma’s airport and the main northern road disrupted a crucial resupply route for North Kivu province.
Kambale Muhindo, secretary of the Kayna health zone, reports that health workers are leaving their posts due to resource shortages and lack of financial support, leaving many prescriptions unfilled. some pharmacists, like Katungu Liso, fear imminent closure due to financial losses caused by fleeing violence, depressed sales, and rising prices.
Economic Hardship and Fear Compound the Crisis
Moïse Katembo Kapanza, head of Kirumba’s Tupone health clinic, highlights the disruption of farming, which has crippled patients’ ability to afford medical care. Kibosile Muratusi Innocent, head nurse at the Kamandi health center, reports that fear has emptied the facility of patients and staff, leading to increased home births, post-operative infections, and preventable deaths.
The World Health Organization (WHO) deplored the near exhaustion of medical supplies in eastern DRC in March. Thierno Baldé, head of the WHO Regional emergency Hub, stated that 1.5 million people in North Kivu alone are directly
