The humanitarian crisis in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo is growing. It led to the flight of thousands of families who took refuge in camps for the displaced, such as Bulengo, located nearly two kilometers from Mugunga, on the western outskirts of Goma, the capital of North Kivu province.
Bulengo camp dwellings are made of tarpaulins and odds and ends, spanning one square meter on average. They are home to thousands of families who have fled the violence of the M23 rebels. These precarious sanitary conditions have led to an unprecedented humanitarian crisis in this region of the DRC.
Humanitarians working in Mugunga explained that most of the displaced people in Bulengo come from villages in Masisi. This is where much of the violence was recorded, with families fleeing the advance of the M23.
It should be noted that Bulengo camp is divided into 426 blocks, where each block contains 60 IDP households. Each household is entitled to a one square meter shelter, capable of accommodating up to five people.
Jacqueline Ndaisanimana, mother of five, finds her own reasons for remaining optimistic: “The important thing is to find a place to put your head, away from the sounds of the rebels’ boots and bullets.” Although they seek safety, the displaced face multiple problems such as famine, cholera and measles epidemics, as well as sexual violence.
Overcrowding and the lack of drinking water, sanitation and hygiene infrastructure are the main cause of the cholera and measles epidemics in the camp. Many children and women suffer from it. Since March, Bulengo has faced two epidemics, the first declared on March 7 and the second on April 5. The first concerns cholera, the second measles.
To respond to this emergency, MSF set up a clinic in the heart of the camp to treat patients. The tents, which can accommodate more than 200 beds, are used to treat cholera and measles patients. Children under 10, who have never been vaccinated against measles, are the most affected by this epidemic.
Dr. Destin Bishane, MSF’s medical focal point, recalls that the situation is critical: “Up to 200 cases of cholera recorded in a single day in March (peak period)”. For cholera, MSF treated 3,148 cases, 40% of which were children.
In short, the humanitarian crisis in eastern DRC is an unprecedented crisis. Thousands of families have fled their villages to seek refuge in precarious living conditions in Bulengo camp and other camps around Goma. Overcrowding and lack of sanitation facilities are behind the spread of diseases like cholera and measles, mainly affecting children and women. Humanitarian organizations, including MSF, are working tirelessly to provide medical assistance to these vulnerable populations.