The province of North Kivu is facing a very serious humanitarian crisis. Nearly 800,000 people have been displaced over the past year, mainly due to the conflict linked to the M23, a rebellion supported, according to the UN in particular, by neighboring Rwanda and which over the past year has conquered part of the North- Kivu of which Goma is the capital. In the city, the camps are saturated. The EU has set up a humanitarian bridge. Since March 10, two planes loaded with aid have linked Europe to eastern DRC. With as cargo, in particular, treatments against cholera, an epidemic which is blazing in the camps for the displaced.
With our special correspondent in Goma, Paulina Zidi
” We are in block 255, he has four patients today. He was sick at least three days ago. Fortunately, thank God, he is cured. He whom Bazapa, Red Cross team leader presents to us, is Pascal, a survivor. “ I had cholera on Sunday…I had all the medicine possible… »
He was able to be treated thanks to the airlift shipment that arrived last week. In there were a lot of hydration salts, oral serum. What quickly cure cholera. ” He was there when the drugs were brought in three days ago… »
And for Jean Liolongo of Unicef in North Kivu, this load of drugs fell from the sky.
” Cholera is diarrhea and vomiting. To fight against, you need this type of treatment, oral serum. It is these serums that are helping all suspected cases. We are in the process of distributing it even outside the camp, in households around the camp. It comes at the right time “.
Faced with this outbreak of cholera, UNICEF and its partners hope that the airlift will continue in the coming weeks.