In brief
Health officials warn of a potential mpox outbreak in eastern DR Congo after 500 patients evacuated clinics amidst rebel-led chaos. With ongoing violence and a new variant of the disease surfacing, calls for a ceasefire and humanitarian aid grow urgent.
More than 500 mpox patients have abandoned medical facilities in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo in recent weeks due to intensifying conflict, triggering serious concerns among health authorities. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has raised alarms that these missing individuals could contribute to a larger outbreak of the highly contagious disease, which reportedly claimed 900 lives in the country last year.The turmoil primarily stems from escalating clashes between the M23 rebel group, which is alleged to have Rwandan backing, and government forces, leading to the seizure of Goma and Bukavu. Dr. Samuel Muhindo, overseeing a clinic in Goma, described the situation's devastation: "We were looted. We lost equipment. It was a disaster." In late January, 128 patients fled from the Mugunga health center and have not been located due to the destruction of critical patient records.Other facilities, such as Bisengimana Hospital, also experienced looting, with medicines and protective gear stolen and destruction left in the wake, complicating the healthcare response. Flames blazed outside the center while crucial medical documentation was scattered across the floor. The M23's recent closure of several camps, where displaced individuals sought safe haven, has further complicated matters, as tens of thousands were given an ultimatum to leave.Dr. Muhindo warned, "Now we are afraid of an outbreak of the epidemic in the areas where the displaced people returned to," a sentiment echoed by Dr. Ngashi Ngongo of Africa CDC who called for a ceasefire and humanitarian corridors to facilitate ongoing mpox interventions.Adding to the distress, the CDC noted a recent spike in missing patients, attributed to ongoing violence and territorial gains by rebel forces. Moreover, a new potentially more transmissible variant of mpox has emerged, further complicating an already dire situation exacerbated by a lack of funding and ongoing military conflict.Though the Mugunga mpox treatment facility, funded by UNICEF and UK Aid, recently reopened, it struggles to accommodate the influx of patients, frequently requiring multiple patients to share a single bed. One such patient, 23-year-old Sadiki Bichichi Aristide, expressed his harrowing tale of relocation due to fighting and his subsequent illness, revealing the human toll of this crisis.UNICEF’s Goma health specialist confirmed that the reopening of Mugunga was only possible thanks to hidden medical supplies, a stark contrast to other facilities that were completely stripped bare. With urgent calls for assistance, the situation remains precarious as health officials brace for the potential aftermath of the ongoing conflict on public health in the region.
