In brief
The Africa CDC has reported that hundreds of mpox patients have gone missing amid ongoing violence in DR Congo, where conflict between M23 rebels and government forces has severely disrupted healthcare services, potentially fueling the spread of the disease.
The Democratic Republic of Congo is facing a healthcare crisis as over 500 mpox patients have fled clinics in the eastern region due to the escalating conflict between M23 rebels and government forces. More than 128 patients disappeared following the violent takeover of facilities in Goma and Bukavu, with healthcare officials warning that their absence raises the risk of a new outbreak of the highly contagious disease.Reports indicate that since the start of 2023, the nation has experienced nearly 2,890 mpox cases and 180 deaths, heightening concerns within the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). The unrest, exacerbated by the looting of medical supplies and equipment, has hampered efforts to effectively manage and treat the ongoing mpox outbreak, suspected to have caused around 900 deaths last year.Dr. Samuel Muhindo, who oversees a health centre in Goma, reported a dire situation during which his clinic was ransacked and patient records lost, preventing staff from tracking those who fled. "We were looted. We lost equipment. It was a disaster," he stated.In recent weeks, the M23, supported by Rwanda, has taken control of strategic areas, leading to widespread chaos. As the rebels closed a network of camps housing people displaced by prior violence, aid workers expressed fears that returning individuals might spread mpox in new communities."A ceasefire is urgently needed," Dr. Ngashi Ngongo, Africa CDC's mpox incident manager, emphasized. The humanitarian crisis in the region has been exacerbated by lack of funding for response initiatives and ongoing violence. Despite reopening a facility funded by Unicef and UK Aid Direct, medical resources at the Mugunga health centre are overstretched, leading to inadequate physical space for patients. Some are forced to share beds in these already strained conditions.One patient, Sadiki Bichichi Aristide, shared his plight of fleeing to Goma from Minova, and the unfortunate turn of events that led to his current health challenges. "I began to fall sick in a camp for displaced people," he recounted. Dr. Oummani Rouafi from Unicef further noted that, although Mugunga has managed to resume operations, many facilities remain critically damaged and unable to offer essential services amid ongoing hostilities. The need for immediate action to protect public health in the region is ever more pressing as the crisis unfolds.
