In a recent report published by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and relayed by Fatshimetrie, an alarming situation concerning the unsanitary conditions and the lack of drinking water in the camps for displaced people around Goma, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, is highlighted. The precarious living conditions in these camps have reached a critical level, endangering the health and safety of the thousands of displaced people residing there.
MSF teams on the ground have witnessed the devastating consequences of these difficult living conditions on the displaced population. Natalia Torrent, MSF head of mission in North Kivu, stressed the urgency of an intervention to prevent a major humanitarian catastrophe.
The ongoing armed conflicts in the region have led to a massive influx of people fleeing violence and seeking refuge in these overcrowded camps. As of September 2024, more than 645,000 people were registered in the Goma area, living in unsanitary and precarious conditions.
Over the past two years, MSF has played a vital role in providing safe drinking water to displaced people and investing in sanitation infrastructure such as solar-powered water supply systems, water pumping stations and waste treatment plants.
Regarding sanitation facilities, MSF has built more than two thousand latrines and more than a thousand additional showers in recent months to meet the needs of displaced populations. However, despite these efforts, the situation remains critical and requires an urgent response from humanitarian actors in the region.
MSF therefore calls for the mobilisation of other organisations specialising in water, hygiene and sanitation to address this imminent humanitarian crisis and prevent the spread of epidemics in the displacement camps.
It is imperative that the international community mobilize quickly to provide adequate humanitarian assistance to these vulnerable populations and guarantee them dignified and secure living conditions. The survival and dignity of the thousands of displaced people in the Goma region depend on it.