Kinshasa, June 3rd, 2025 (CPA). – The Bambo General Reference Hospital, in the Rutshuru territory of Nord-Kivu province in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), is facing immense humanitarian needs and an influx of wounded people, according to a statement from the international organization Doctors Without Borders (MSF) received on Tuesday by CPA. “The Bambo General Reference Hospital, supported by MSF, is facing immense humanitarian needs and an influx of wounded people, mainly civilians who are victims of stray bullets or artillery shrapnel. On May 15th, the hospital has received 20 wounded, three of whom died, and on May 26th, 10 more wounded were treated following clashes in the city between the M23/AFC armed group, the Congolese armed forces, and their respective allies,” it is read. According to the source, the majority of displaced persons have arrived with nothing, sleeping on the ground, without mosquito nets or adequate access to drinking water, soap, or adequate sanitation facilities. “Medical teams, although disrupted by insecurity, continue to treat emergencies and severe malnutrition in children,” has added the statement.
“In a context of limited resources, the current situation is exacerbating the vulnerability of everyone, both displaced persons and residents. Our intensive care unit for malnourished children, with a capacity of 19 beds, is currently operating at over 100% capacity. We will have to increase the number of beds in this unit to cope with this increase in malnutrition,” has explained François Calas, MSF Water Program Manager in Nord-Kivu, quoted in the document. For MSF, the precarious conditions in the displacement sites raise fears of new epidemics, particularly cholera. Our teams also report an increase in the number of consultations for victims of sexual violence. In response to the emergency, MSF teams are distributing household items to more than 1,000 displaced families, setting up water and sanitation facilities, building latrines and showers, and temporarily reinforcing the Bambo General Hospital to expand access to care. However, health centres are overwhelmed, the humanitarian response remains insufficient, and MSF cannot cover all needs. To this end, MSF calls on all parties to the conflict to respect health facilities and humanitarian actors and to guarantee the protection of civilians. This situation reflects a silent humanitarian emergency that continues in eastern DRC. The need for shelter, food, access to water, medical care, and protection is enormous. Only collective action will prevent a larger-scale humanitarian catastrophe, it is reminded.ACP/