Over the past months, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has seen a worrying surge in mpox cases, with close to 20,000 suspect and confirmed cases and over 650 deaths recorded from January to early September 2024. The outbreak is affecting all the provinces, including the massive displacement sites surrounding Goma, in North Kivu province, where hundreds of thousands people have found refuge, fleeing the armed conflict in the province.

The dire living conditions in those overcrowded sites make the mpox situation particularly complex as families live in tiny shelters with not enough water, sanitation facilities and healthcare services. A perfect storm for the virus to spread rapidly.

Despite the urgent need for a robust response, the humanitarian aid reaching these areas remains insufficient.

MSF teams on the ground are working to curb the spread of mpox and provide critical care to those affected. In Goma, we have set up emergency isolation centers in several facilities located in the Kanyaruchinya and Buhimba displacement site, as well as in Goma’s Kyeshero Hospital. Our teams are also working in Nyiragongo to support local health facilities, distribute hygiene kits, and sensitize communities about the importance of early detection and treatment.

Yet, how can we expect families living in tiny shelters, without adequate water, sanitation facilities, or even soap, to implement preventive measures? How can malnourished children have the strength to ward off complications? And how can we expect this variant – which is notably transmitted through sexual contact – to not spread in displacement sites given the dramatic levels of sexual violence and exploitation affecting girls and women living there?    

It is imperative that authorities and their partners step up their support to prevent a further escalation of this outbreak. Containing the virus in eastern sites for displaced people will be impossible unless efforts are made to listen to people’s needs and improve the appalling living conditions they are struggling with.

Please note that the patients appearing in the pictures are
screened for mpox by MSF – we cannot confirm if mpox was or was not confirmed.