More than 3,000 households have found refuge at the Pinga general hospital, in the territory of Walikale, the scene of new offensives launched by the M23, a rebellion supported by Rwanda in eastern DRC. This health facility located in the province of North Kivu is calling for humanitarian aid and is appealing to the authorities because of “ a total shortage of medications and other materials “. Details.
2 mins
With our correspondent in Goma, Heir Baraka
In the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the M23 rebels supported by Rwanda have launched new offensives for 2 weeks in the territory of Walikale, in the province of North Kivu.
The Pinga general hospital, the largest health structure in this region located 180 km southwest of Goma (capital of North Kivu), warns of shortages of medicines. More than 3,000 households have found refuge in the hospital wards and are living in deplorable conditions without any assistance.
These are mainly displaced people from the Kisimba group, including the town of Pinga, and surrounding villages who fled the advance of the M23 rebels, after fighting against the Congolese army and its Wazalendo supporters.
“ The displaced are crowded together in the hospital and even outside »
The majority of the displaced are women and children whose needs are significant, as the director of Pinga hospital, Doctor Théophile Mukandirwa, explains: “ We fear kinds of water-borne diseases [des maladies liées à l’eau contaminées, comme le choléra, la diarrhée, la dysenterie, etc, NDLR]. This is why we are asking the humanitarian community or the government to help us. There are displaced people who are really crowded together, here, in the hospital, and even outside the hospital. It’s really very complicated. We are launching this cry of warning. We don’t have any medicine. There really is a total shortage of medicines and other materials. »
The road between the localities of Pinga, Kalembe and Kitshanga, the main supply route for medicines and basic necessities, has been cut for 15 days due to clashes. It is therefore difficult for humanitarian organizations to access these areas.
On November 1, 2024, the Congolese Minister of Defense indicated that the Armed Forces of the DRC (FARDC) had succeeded in preventing the capture of Pinga and its airfield. Army reinforcements, including special units, were deployed according to civil society and security sources to stop the advance of the M23/Congo River Alliance (AFC) in this mineral-rich territory.
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