Congo, hospitals have become a target, for the more than 700,000 displaced people, even health care has become dangerous

ROME – The decade-long conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo has forced about 700,000 people from their homes in Djugu, in the province of Ituri. The peace processes initiated in the past have not been successful and the situation has worsened since the beginning of the year. Over 150,000 people were displaced in 2023 alone, most of whom have difficulty accessing medical care and essential services. When the fighting heats up and they approach medical facilities, among other things, health personnel are forced to flee and interrupt assistance services. In some areas, the Médecins Sans Frontières teams have remained the only ones to assist the displaced.

The story. Drodro hospital, for example, with its 100 beds, emptied in less than half an hour due to the sound of gunfire about a kilometer away. Some patients were able to flee the area quickly, before the roads became too dangerous, it reports Doctors Without Borders. And it is the third time since the beginning of the year that the health facilities in the Drodro health area have been deserted due to the clashes. “I was in the hospital bed with my baby when the other mothers came to us and said we had to run away because they heard gunshots,” said Joécie, whose 17-month-old is being treated for severe malnutrition and anemia” People were running around in panic. I wrapped my baby in a blanket and left.” Then her son’s condition worsened, so Joécie had to go back to the hospital at night.

Hospitals in War. The chronic violence and fear of further escalation have left people across Ituri province with deep psychological scars. Many are afraid to go to the hospital because they see them as potential targets. Elsewhere hospitals are often used by the civilian population as a place of refuge during conflicts, but this is not the case in the Democratic Republic of Congo, MSF explains. Today, only eight of the sixteen health facilities in the Drodro health zone in the province of Ituri are functioning. MSF continues to provide aid as needed, however chronic violence and continuing displacement are inevitably disrupting medical activities.

MSF intervention. The organization is working with the Ministry of Health to increase support activities for displaced people. For example, it has set up a mobile clinic in Rho camp to provide primary health care and refer patients in need of further specialist care to Drodro hospital. But the number of people living in the camp has nearly doubled since the beginning of the year to 700,000. It is reactivating the Blukwa’Mbi health centre, where large numbers of displaced people live with host families, to transform it into a center capable of providing specialized medical care. “The construction of a solar-powered operating room will allow medical teams to perform procedures such as caesarean sections,” said Soumana Ayouba Maiga, MSF project coordinator. “We want to provide access to more specialized care for people who cannot go to Drodro hospital.”

Hunger. “What worries me the most today is access to food,” said Micheline, known in her community as a “mothers’ leader” for hosting ten people fleeing violence in her home. “Most of us don’t eat every day, even children. It’s not harvest time now, so there’s nothing. There is not even drinking water at hand”. In addition to health care, the 1.7 million displaced people in Ituri province need food, clean water, adequate sanitation, safe shelter and education, although they receive little political or international attention and coverage. Chronic insecurity makes agriculture impossible, which is a major source of income in the area.

The data. The figures of violence reported by Médecins Sans Frontières give a picture, albeit partial, of how life is lived in the province of Ituri. From January 2023 to today, the organization has treated 850 children for maintenance, 165 people who survived episodes of sexual violence and has provided psychological support to over 435 patients in difficulty.