Crisis in DR Congo: Over 500 Mpox Patients Displaced Amid Ongoing Conflict

As tensions rise between the M23 rebels and the DR Congo government, health facilities have been compromised, resulting in the flight of mpox patients and posing a significant risk for disease spread. Health officials are urgently calling for humanitarian intervention and ceasefire to mitigate the health crisis.

In eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, over 500 mpox patients have fled from medical clinics due to intense conflict, raising alarms about a potential public health outbreak. This mass displacement follows recent violence spurred by the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group, which has seized territories in Goma and Bukavu.

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has expressed grave concerns regarding the ongoing crisis. Last year, mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, claimed nearly 900 lives in the country. According to recent statistics, close to 2,890 new mpox cases along with 180 fatalities have been reported in DR Congo since the beginning of 2023.

Dr. Samuel Muhindo, who manages a clinic in Goma, described the looting at his health centre which resulted in the flight of 128 patients. Many records were destroyed during the chaos, making it difficult to trace the affected individuals. At another facility, patients' medical documentation was scattered as looters took medicines and personal protective equipment, leaving vital health services in disarray.

The conflict's dire ramifications extend beyond healthcare. The M23 has forced the eviction of thousands from refugee camps, heightening the risk of disease spread as many return to unstable areas. Dr. Muhindo fears that the lack of access to medical care in these regions could trigger a new outbreak of mpox.

Dr. Ngashi Ngongo, an incident manager at Africa CDC, called for an immediate ceasefire to facilitate humanitarian aid and protect ongoing mpox interventions. Amidst the escalating violence, the number of missing mpox patients has risen, raising fears of an explosive disease spread alongside the newly identified variant of mpox with higher transmissibility.

The health facility at Mugunga, supported by the UN children's agency (Unicef) and UK Aid Direct, recently reopened but struggles to manage overwhelming patient numbers. Sadiki Bichichi Aristide, a 23-year-old patient, recounted traveling to the Mugunga clinic with his children to seek treatment after fleeing from conflict zones.

Despite some health staff hiding equipment and medications from looters, many facilities have been entirely ransacked, hampering DR Congo's response to the mpox outbreak. With limited resources and increasing violence, officials warn that significant challenges remain in addressing the public health emergency caused by the ongoing conflict.