The forgotten people of North Kivu: Focus on the humanitarian crisis in this province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as of 1 March 2024 – Democratic Republic of the Congo

The upsurge in armed conflict and other situations of violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is taking a devastating humanitarian toll, especially in the east of the country. Read our report for an update.

The humanitarian and medical toll of the violence is appalling. Death and injury are a daily reality. Since the upsurge in fighting, weapon-wounded patients have been pouring into ICRC-supported CBCA Ndosho Hospital in Goma, the capital of North Kivu.

In 2023, the ICRC recorded numerous incidents in which people’s access to health care was infringed, mostly in Goma. These mainly involved acts of violence against health services, when armed men burst into health-care facilities, and situations where health workers were forced to break medical ethics or other rules protecting the wounded and sick. Ensuring respect for and the protection of health care lies at the heart of the ICRC’s concerns and its dialogue with all weapon bearers.

While most people flee to Goma or other big towns, some get stranded in remote forest enclaves. Only 20 per cent of displaced people reach camps where they can receive aid from humanitarian organizations. The rest are taken in by locals, who are themselves buckling under the burden of years of violence. Precious little relief reaches them, as access routes are unsafe and the logistical obstacles immense.

While other conflicts monopolize world media attention, we must not forget the people of the DRC, whose very survival often depends on emergency humanitarian aid. According to UN estimates, in 2024 over 25.4 million people in the country will need assistance – out of a total population of 113.6 million. This only underlines the urgent need for concerted action to relieve human suffering and stabilize the region.