Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), also known as Doctors Without Borders, has raised the alarm over the rapid increase in the number of cholera cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

The humanitarian organisation, in a recent project update for the country, noted that between 26 November and 11 December the MSF medical teams had treated 472 cholera patients, including 143 children under age five.

Since the end of October, tens of thousands of people fleeing fighting with the M23 rebel group have joined those already settled for months in sites for displaced people in Nyiragongo territory, a few kilometres from North Kivu’s capital, Goma.

This has worsened the humanitarian situation in the region as more than 177,000 people are now trapped in dire conditions and are at the mercy of bad weather and epidemics.

‘Given the lack of food, shelter, latrines and showers, all the ingredients are there for a health disaster’, MSF Project Coordinator, Simplice Ngar-One, said.

‘The increase in cholera cases in recent days is another indicator of the deteriorating situation and the blatant lack of humanitarian assistance’.

Months after people arrive at sites for the displaced, they still lack the most basic things. Some people sleep on the ground, under mosquito nets, and along the road. There are not enough sanitation facilities, including toilets and showers.

‘Here at the Kanyaruchinya health centre, we have dozens of patients coming in every day with diarrhoea, respiratory issues and skin infections’, Ngar-One added.

‘With the teams from the Ministry of Health, we treat the visible consequences of the lack of humanitarian aid’.

‘Despite our repeated calls, the current humanitarian response is far from adequate. That is just not understandable, as these people are only a few kilometres from Goma, home to many humanitarian organisations’.

MSF said it will intensify community activities to raise awareness and ensure early detection of the disease.

Source: MSF

Photo source: MSF