Shortage of essential medical supplies in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) jeopardizes the survival of the most vulnerable amidst a fragile peace process, warns International Rescue Committee (IRC)
Health facilities are overwhelmed, with many unable to provide basic services like nutrition, primary care, and reproductive health.
Medical supplies are running low, leaving survivors of sexual violence and thousands of children without critical care.
Stockouts of therapeutic milk have been reported in several health zones, compromising treatment for children with severe acute malnutrition.
Humanitarian response is critically underfunded: Only 9% of the Humanitarian Response Plan has been funded as of April 2025.
As talks advance towards a potential peace agreement in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the International Rescue Committee (IRC) warns of critical medical shortages, leaving thousands who are already vulnerable without access to essential assistance, especially in services addressing acute malnutrition and support for survivors of sexual violence.
The IRC's response to the latest humanitarian crisis has to date reached over 72,000 people. Lack of essential medicines, limited humanitarian access, and dwindling funding puts the continuity of this response, and the lives of displaced populations, at serious risk.
Health facilities across North and South Kivu are overwhelmed and running out of supplies, with many no longer able to provide essential services, including primary health care, nutrition support, and sexual and reproductive health care. At Hebron Health Center in the Karisimbi Health Zone, for example, IRC staff report having to turn away survivors of sexual violence due to a shortage of medicines that are taken after a possible exposure to prevent HIV infection and unwanted pregnancy. Referrals to other clinics are futile given stocks across the entire country are dangerously low.
Therapeutic milk stocks to treat children with the deadliest form of malnutrition have run out in several health zones, seriously compromising the treatment of children suffering from severe acute malnutrition.
Dr. Lievin Bangali, IRC's Senior Health Coordinator in DRC, said:
"The situation is heartbreaking. This breakdown comes at a time when the number of cases of sexual-based violence is rising dramatically, despite many cases going unreported . Every time supplies run out or aid provision is delayed, children's lives are put at risk, survivors of sexual violence are left without support, and public health worsens.
Our health centers in Goma are dangerously short of vaccines for children and our current stocks of essential medicines are already running low. For example, we have no more anti-malaria drugs or antibiotic syrups. Thousands of children are therefore at risk of dying without appropriate treatment.
The IRC remains committed to continuing its efforts in supporting vulnerable communities in the DRC. We urge the removal of barriers to humanitarian access to restore vital supply chains, and call on partners to provide immediate funding for nutrition, primary health, vaccination, and protection efforts to prevent further loss of life.'
The collapse of the medical infrastructure is driven by security constraints in health zones where access to humanitarian aid is limited, compounded by ongoing airport closures and a sharp decline in already insufficient humanitarian funding. The disruption of vaccine supplies further hinders the recovery of children who are out of sync with the vaccination schedule or under-vaccinated, leading to a rise in preventable deaths.
Despite these escalating needs, the humanitarian response remains critically underfunded. As of April 2025, the Humanitarian Response Plan is only 9% funded. The IRC calls on public donors to prioritize funding for the response plan to be able to support thousands of people in need of humanitarian assistance. DRC is one of the most vulnerable countries to the global reduction in aid budgets due to the level of humanitarian need, reliance on grant-based funding, level of debt distress, and exposure to the climate crisis.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Rescue Committee (IRC) .
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