Health system "on brink of collapse" in eastern DR Congo, warns Red Cross

The health system in the Kivu region of the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is "on the brink of collapse," the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) warned Tuesday.

KINSHASA, June 18 (Xinhua) -- The health system in the Kivu region of the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is "on the brink of collapse," the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) warned Tuesday, citing the combined impact of armed conflict, insecurity, funding cuts, and a deepening economic crisis on access to basic healthcare.

"We are deeply concerned about the overall degradation of the healthcare system in the Kivus," said Jean-Nicolas Paquet-Rouleau, deputy head of the ICRC delegation in the DRC, referring to the North Kivu and South Kivu provinces. "Medical facilities are increasingly unable to treat common diseases such as malaria and respiratory infections."

In a statement issued also on Tuesday, the ICRC reported a sharp rise in medical needs, widespread shortages of essential medicines, and a dramatic drop in access to care, especially for women and children in the Kivu region.

In the first quarter of 2025, hospitals supported by the ICRC in North and South Kivu treated more than 2,300 weapon-wounded patients, an increase of 172 percent compared to the same period in 2024. The injuries, often caused by explosive weapons, are reportedly more severe and require complex surgical intervention.

According to the ICRC, nearly three-quarters of health facilities surveyed reported drug shortages, including basic medications such as paracetamol. Three out of five facilities had been looted, worsening the supply crisis and disrupting already fragile delivery chains.

"What we are seeing today are clinics shutting down, patients left untreated, and children going unvaccinated," said Paquet-Rouleau, noting a 50-percent drop in pediatric consultations compared to 2024 and a fourfold increase in stillbirths.

The ICRC also warned of a domino effect triggered by the gradual withdrawal of some humanitarian organizations. "When even a small non-governmental organization leaves, it can mean six or seven health centers are left unsupported. The ICRC does not operate in isolation -- any cut in humanitarian funding affects the entire system," he said.

Since January, the security situation in the eastern DRC has deteriorated significantly, with renewed fighting involving the March 23 Movement rebel group, which has seized several key towns, including Goma and Bukavu. Humanitarian agencies say the violence has displaced hundreds of thousands of civilians and further worsened the crisis in the region.■