\n
Fighting escalated sharply in late January, as Rwanda-backed M23 rebels seized control of parts of North Kivu, including areas near the regional capital Goma, and advanced towards South Kivu.<\/p>\n
Before the latest violence, mpox cases had been stabilizing, said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, in a speech to the agency\u2019s executive board.<\/p>\n
Health system overwhelmed<\/h2>\n
Healthcare facilities are struggling to cope with a surge in casualties, alongside patients suffering from multiple endemic diseases, including mpox, cholera, malaria and measles.<\/p>\n
WHO reported that shells hit a hospital in Goma, resulting in civilian casualties, including infants and pregnant women. Stocks of essential medicines in Minova (South Kivu) are rapidly depleting, as M23 rebels advance towards the city.<\/p>\n
The agency said health partners are doing \u201ceverything possible\u201d to provide lifesaving services \u201cdespite the risks posed by heavy artillery and the proximity of frontline fighting.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\nConcerns over attacks on civilians, sexual violence, and other human rights violations have also reached alarming levels.<\/p>\n
IDPs at risk, again<\/h2>\n
Ongoing clashes also threatens hundreds of thousands of internally displaced people (IDPs) sheltering in Goma, along with the aid workers supporting them.<\/p>\n
\u201cThousands of displaced people sheltering close to Goma have had to flee for safety as heavy bombing and shelling struck close to the camps due to the proximity of military installations<\/strong>,\u201d the UN World Food Programme (WFP) reported.<\/p>\nMany displaced families are now staying with host communities, while others are setting up temporary shelters in schools and public buildings. Host communities themselves could face \u201csignificant humanitarian needs\u201d.<\/p>\n
\n
\n<\/div>\n
An IDP camp in eastern DRC hosting tens of thousands of vulnerable families.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Infrastructure hit<\/h2>\n
The violence has severely damaged essential infrastructure, including water, electricity, and communication networks.<\/p>\n
In Goma, water and electricity remain cut off<\/strong> and people are forced to rely on unsafe water, increasing risk of disease outbreaks. Telecommunications (phones) and Internet access is also disrupted.<\/p>\nPublic and private property \u2013 including WFP and non-governmental organization-run warehouses \u2013 have been looted.<\/p>\n
\u201cCoupled with severed access to the city, food and other essential supplies are almost depleted<\/strong>,\u201d WFP said, adding that scarcity has driven prices up, making it even harder for vulnerable communities to afford basic necessities.<\/p>\nHard-won development gains at risk<\/h2>\n
In addition to threatening the safety and wellbeing of millions, the fighting has put years of hard-won development gains at risk.<\/p>\n
Achim Steiner, Administrator of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) underscored that it is not just a humanitarian emergency but a development crisis jeopardizing progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery day the conflict continues, access to education and healthcare is disrupted, businesses collapse, and vital infrastructure is damaged \u2013 deepening hardship for communities and eroding the foundation for long-term recovery, resilience and sustainable development<\/strong>,\u201d he said in a statement on Sunday.<\/p>\n\u201cI call on all actors to prioritize dialogue, uphold international humanitarian law, and pursue a peaceful resolution to this crisis,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Fighting escalated sharply in late January, as Rwanda-backed M23 rebels seized control of parts of North…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":51939,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[367,482,481,3802,4925,1091,534,4926,368],"class_list":["post-52057","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-africa","tag-chief","tag-congo","tag-crisis","tag-eastern","tag-increasing","tag-mpox","tag-risk","tag-transmission","tag-warns"],"yoast_head":"\n
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