When the humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is mentioned, media, political and diplomatic attention focuses more on the province of North Kivu, which is heavily affected by the upsurge in violent fighting over the past year between the Congolese army and armed groups, including the M23; this crisis overshadows other crises, such as the bloody, cyclical intra-community conflict in the neighboring province of Ituri. The Drodro health zone is regularly plagued by armed violence, trapping populations who are also in desperate need of humanitarian assistance.
Since early January 2023, the province of Ituri has experienced a renewed intensity of armed clashes, giving a new dramatic turn to the long-term intercommunity conflict, heavily affecting the civilian population and forcing them to flee for safety. While some have found refuge in IDPs sites, most are staying with host families. The total number of displaced people is difficult to assess due to the volatility of the conflict and the continuous movements of the population. An estimated 156,000 people have newly fled their homes in Djugu territory since January 2023, which has seen 700,000 displaced people within the territory and 1.7 million across Ituri province. The population of the Rho site, the largest camp recorded in the Drodro health zone, created in 2018, has doubled since the beginning of 2023, rising from 35,000 to almost 70,000 people.
This ongoing insecurity is having a dramatic humanitarian impact on the population. Victims of exactions committed by armed groups, communities are exposed to extreme violence: looting, killings, injuries, sexual violence and repeated displacements - which have a major impact on their mental health.
The current violence is hampering access to healthcare for patients from both communities, which is a cause for concern for the MSF teams. Medical facilities are not always accessible, and most are not functional. When there are attacks or threats in the surroundings, some of the medical structures are deserted by patients and medical staff. This has happened 3 times since the beginning of this year: in January, March and in May. Traumatized by decades of violence, people are fearful of accessing health facilities, seeing them as potential targets, and only seeking care in extreme emergency.
Since 2019, MSF has been working in Djugu territory to provide vital medical care to the communities there, with a focus on paediatric care, and has been striving to meet the needs of both communities, in line with its principle of impartiality.
Currently, the teams are often alone in responding to the health needs of the local population. Humanitarian actors, who already have a limited presence in the area, have shown little willingness to get involved due to the heightened insecurity. Peace processes have been launched in the past but without success, and the situation has deteriorated since the beginning of the year. The populations feel abandoned, without assistance or far below their needs, particularly in terms of food and drinking water.