The province of Bandundu in the Democratic Republic of Congo is currently in the grip of an alarming humanitarian situation. The Kwamouth IDP camp now has more than 41,000 people who have fled their native village since August 2022. These displaced people have been forced to leave their place of residence because of the conflict in the Kwilu region.
However, these people who arrived in the Kwamouth camp are still not safe because the sanitary conditions there are very deplorable. To date, 40 cases of malnutrition have been recorded, due to a lack of decent living conditions. According to the provincial ministry of humanitarian affairs, the measles outbreak has also spread in the camp, with two cases of infection reported among displaced children.
The director of cabinet of the ministry, Jérémie Bikele, has thus launched an appeal to humanitarian partners and political authorities for adequate care of the displaced. He believes that the number of cases of malnutrition will only increase if nothing is done quickly. Since August 2022, the number of displaced people has increased in the Bandundu region with attacks perpetrated in neighboring towns. The month of March was thus marked by attacks against the villages of Kimpasi and Kisia, killing 14 people.
Although the situation is not new, it is important to stress that it is critical, since malnutrition is a very serious and potentially fatal disease, especially in children. Congolese authorities must quickly address this issue by providing adequate food and health care to those in need. It is also important that the international community expresses its solidarity with the displaced people of Kwamouth by providing additional assistance.