Cholera rising among displaced people in precarious conditions

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

The humanitarian situation there is worsening as, next to the host communities, more than 177,000 peopleare now trapped in dire conditions, 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,” says Simplice Ngar-One,
MSF project coordinator. “The increase in cholera cases in recent days
is another indicator of the deteriorating situation and the blatant lack
of humanitarian assistance.”

Conditions conducive to cholera

“I fled my village with my six children and my husband a month ago
and since then we have received almost no help,” says Nyira Safari, who
is sitting with her daughter Zawadi in the MSF-supported Kanyaruchinya
health centre.

“We have neither showers nor toilets. To feed my family, I go to the
fields to try to find some potatoes, despite the risks involved,” says
Nyira. “For two days, Zawadi has been suffering from diarrhoea and
vomiting. She was very weak and could barely stand. That’s why I came
here.”

Zawadi, eight, is among the patients with suspected cholera arriving
daily to be treated by MSF in the supported facilities in Kanyaruchinya
and Munigi, two areas where many displaced people have settled.

“What we feared is happening: the number of people with suspected
cases of cholera is increasing due to the dismal living conditions,
including increased proximity with other people, in informal
settlements,” says Dr Alain Bishikwabo Irenge, medical officer in charge
of the cholera treatment centre in Munigi.

“We have set up two additional tents to accommodate the large number
of patients and increase our capacity to 100 beds,” says Dr Bishikwabo
Irenge. “We will also intensify community activities to raise awareness
and ensure early detection, as too many patients arrive in an already
severe state of dehydration.”

Visible consequences of the lack of assistance

The first confirmed cases of cholera were reported in August in
Kanyaruchinya, triggering our teams to undertake a cholera vaccination
campaign for around 6,000 people in September. In early November, as new
cholera cases were confirmed, our teams carried out a new vaccination
campaign for 3,600 people to help stop the spread.

“Since July, we have been warning about the health risks, including
epidemics, for displaced communities in Nyiragongo territory,” says
Ngar-One. “New massive displacements of people since the end of October
have exacerbated an already extremely precarious situation.”

Massive displacements of people since the end of October have
exacerbated an already extremely precarious situation… Despite our
repeated calls, the current humanitarian response is far from adequate.
SIMPLICE NGAR-ONE, MSF PROJECT COORDINATOR IN DRC

Months after people arrive in sites for the displaced, they still
lack the most basic things. Some people are sleeping on the ground,
under mosquito nets, 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,” says Ngar-One. “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,” says Ngar-One. “That is just not understandable, as
these people are only a few kilometres from Goma, home to many
humanitarian organisations.”