Since the beginning of the year 2023, 30,000 people have arrived in the Nakivale camp, mainly from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), following clashes between the M23 and the Congolese army in North Kivu. In this camp, already home to over 140,000 refugees of several nationalities, this massive arrival has not been accompanied by any increase in aid, leaving people in a worrying humanitarian and medical situation.
On site, MSF teams are aiding with access to primary healthcare via five mobile clinics that travel as close as possible to the people. Between January and April, more than 15,000 consultations were carried out, particularly during the seasonal malaria peak, which saw a 40% rate of positive cases. Only one other medical organization is present on site, and the needs are crying out, mainly in terms of care for people with non-communicable diseases such as chronic illnesses (diabetes, hypertension...), mental health, and sexual and reproductive health (particularly in the care of victims of sexual violence, but also in terms of family planning and prenatal care...). The situation is exacerbated by major shortages of medicines, both at local level and at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which manages the camp in conjunction with the Ugandan Office of the Prime Minister (OPM).