Two years of violent fighting between the M23 armed group and the Congolese army and its allies in North Kivu province in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo intensified in late January. Fighting has now reached the border with South Kivu province, causing new mass displacement.have already been forced to leave their homes since March 2022, in an area of the country already devastated by 30 years of conflict.
But the main roads to the north, west and south of Goma are inaccessible due to the insecurity and fighting, so it is extremely challenging to get supplies to these facilities. This has also severely hindered humanitarian and medical access to hundreds of thousands of people in the Masisi territory. Combined with the lack of access to clean water, this is creating the perfect conditions for the spread of cholera. We have already been dealing with cholera in some of the camps for months, so with the new influx of people arriving it is likely to exacerbate the existing outbreak.
The increase in cholera cases is directly linked to the lack of hygiene and a lack of access to safe drinking water and sanitary facilities, such as clean latrines and showers. This disease can be fatal if not treated in time. Children are the most vulnerable and can die from cholera in just a few days. Depending on the severity of their illness, most patients need rapid oral or intravenous rehydration, but some people can be treated in the community by setting up oral rehydration points.