Escalating violence fuels massive population displacement

Clashes between the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) and the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC)/M23, alongside their respective allies in the Hauts plateaux de Fizi, are exacerbating long-standing intercommunal tensions. This surge in violence has triggered new, large-scale population movements. The number of displaced individuals in the region has climbed to nearly five million, with 1.9 million of these concentrated in South Kivu and Maniema, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

Without adequate reception facilities, almost all displaced people have sought refuge with host families or in displacement camps such as Monge Monge. Basic access to water, food, and healthcare remains a significant challenge for both local communities and those who have been displaced.

Distance and cost hinder access to vital healthcare

With ongoing conflicts plaguing the region, numerous displaced families have lost their livelihoods. In response to this dire situation, MSF is adapting its operations and enhancing healthcare provisions for communities impacted by the violence.

Ikupe Roger, 60, fled his village a year and a half ago to escape the hostilities. “When the fighting erupted, I left with my wife and our eight children to save our lives,” he recounted. “My primary concern today is to remain in Baraka, despite the climate of violence and insecurity. Before MSF arrived, there was almost no access to care. Paying over 100,000 Congolese francs for treatment is simply out of reach.” To support his children, he relies on farming, fishing, and raising a small flock of poultry. Despite these constant efforts, living conditions remain exceptionally precarious.

“Deprived of resources, many can no longer afford transportation or access basic healthcare,” explained Gianpietro Campedelli, MSF’s project coordinator in Baraka. Consequently, many patients arrive at health facilities in a critical state, often too late to receive life-saving treatment.

Civilians fleeing violence become targets

Beyond direct injuries sustained in clashes, many individuals also suffer from trauma and wounds caused by assaults endured during their journey, particularly when traversing highly unstable areas.

Fatou, a 40-year-old woman now residing with a host family in Mwandiga, was forced to flee her village of Makobola in haste. “During our escape, armed men attacked me. They also stripped us of everything we owned. When we left, the village was deserted, and everything we left behind was looted,” she recounted.

MSF bolsters health system against epidemics and influx of injured

In Baraka, health facilities are simultaneously grappling with the arrival of conflict-related casualties, recurrent cholera outbreaks, and a significant rise in malaria cases. Overwhelmed by this confluence of emergencies, healthcare structures struggle to cope.

In response to these critical urgencies, between January and April 2026, MSF has:

• Supported the Baraka General Referral Hospital through medical and logistical supplies, as well as training sessions for healthcare staff, to better manage the influx of injured patients;
• Covered the treatment costs for patients transferred due to severe conditions, including severe forms of malaria, acute respiratory infections, and diarrheal diseases;
• Supported seven community health sites for the rapid detection of malaria, pneumonia, and diarrhea cases.

In total, 26,234 patients received care, including 426 war-wounded, 16,574 for malaria, 2,953 for diarrheal diseases, and 3,832 for pneumonia.

Our teams have also been actively involved in epidemic response:

• 1,002 patients have been treated at the Baraka Cholera Treatment Centre (CTC), supported by MSF, since January;
• Distribution of hygiene kits;
• Installation of chlorination points and repair of manual water pumps in Baraka, Mwangaza, and Mushimbakye;
• Distribution of 488 essential product kits (soap, blankets, plates, and mosquito nets) in the Monge Monge camp, and feminine hygiene kits to 870 women in the same camp.

Broader mobilization of other actors is essential

Currently, our teams are focusing their efforts on reproductive health and care for survivors of sexual violence at the Baraka health center, while also continuing their water, hygiene, and sanitation initiatives within the Monge Monge displaced persons camp.

Nevertheless, the situation remains deeply concerning. Despite the ongoing interventions, the needs far outweigh the available response. “While MSF’s presence is crucial, it alone cannot cover the entirety of the needs. A broader mobilization of other humanitarian actors is more than necessary to assist populations who remain highly exposed to health and social vulnerabilities,” concluded Gianpietro Campedelli.