In the territory of Djugu, in Ituri, crucial food aid was provided to more than 120,000 displaced people between December and January. This assistance, including corn flour, beans, vegetable oil and salt, has greatly contributed to relieving their suffering and reducing cases of mortality linked to malnutrition.
The beneficiaries of the various displaced areas were able to rejoice in this humanitarian operation carried out by the World Food Program, which came after more than a year of interruption of food aid in certain regions of the province. This distribution of food therefore made it possible to alleviate the precariousness of the disaster victims and to reduce the number of deaths among the displaced.
However, the situation remains very worrying in several sites, particularly in Rhoe and Savo, which respectively host 60,000 and 30,000 displaced people in the Djugu territory. The persistence of insecurity in the region has hampered the distribution of food aid, exposing the displaced to increased risks of malnutrition and death.
Some sites, such as Lala, Djaiba, Gina and Savo, have already recorded nearly a hundred deaths last year. Local officials point out that many displaced people have not been able to access their farmland, occupied by armed groups, and that some have even lost their lives during attacks. Among them, the inhabitants of the Jinga site in Drodro, who number more than 10,000 people, have not received food for almost three years.
It is crucial to continue to raise awareness about the situation of displaced people in Ituri and to work to guarantee their access to regular food aid. Humanitarian needs remain immense in this region ravaged by conflict and insecurity, and concerted action by the international community is essential to prevent further tragedies.