The Humanitarian Lifeline in DR Congo Under Threat: We Need Urgent Action

As the violence in Goma continues, with thousands of deaths and injuries reported, the full magnitude of the crisis in Eastern DR Congo is becoming clear. The humanitarian response faces critical challenges that must be urgently addressed to prevent further loss of life and a looming public health and humanitarian disaster.

Before the current eruption of violence, 800,000 internally displaced people (IDPs) were living in and around Goma. In recent days, at least 500,000 people have been displaced again in North and South Kivu. Some families are reportedly returning to their place of origin, while others have sought refuge elsewhere. This displacement has emptied some IDP sites while other areas are now overcrowded. Displaced people are facing impossible dilemmas: 

The uncertainty around recent displacements—particularly regarding where displaced people are relocating to, and the conditions they will encounter—raises urgent concerns about families being pushed into unsafe, unstable conditions with little to no access to land, housing, or essential services. The return of displaced people must be safe, dignified, and voluntary. For those unable or unwilling to return, viable settlement or resettlement options must be provided. Whether people leave or remain in camps, all displaced people must receive the necessary support to meet their immediate needs and work toward rebuilding their lives.

Reports from international NGOs underscore medical, nutritional, and protection emergencies, with injured people overwhelming hospitals already struggling with fuel shortages, a lack of beds, and insufficient medical staff. Health facilities are further strained by an influx of people needing treatment. Victims of violence, human rights violations, and survivors of sexual violence—children among them—require urgent medical and psychological care. Disease outbreaks—measles, cholera, and suspected mpox—pose an escalating threat to displaced communities. Compounding matters, the looting of medical warehouses has depleted critical supplies, and disruptions in the supply chain are already causing stockouts of life-saving resources.

At People in Need, we are providing aid in South Kivu. “We are doing everything we can to stay operational and provide life-saving assistance during this humanitarian crisis while maintaining the safety of our staff,” says Ingrid Osthus, Country Director, PIN DRC. We are prepared to deliver critical services across food security, nutrition, and WASH in the most affected areas, but securing funding remains crucial to making this possible.

"All parties to the conflict must respect international humanitarian law by ensuring safe, unrestricted humanitarian access—both for aid to reach people and for people to access aid. Emergency measures are needed to facilitate the movement of national and international humanitarian workers,” says Luc Lamprière, the DRC INGO Forum Director. “They must also guarantee the protection of humanitarian workers, facilities, and convoys to ensure aid reaches those in need, free from violence and interference.”

According to information collected by humanitarian NGOs in Goma, almost all camps along the Kanyaruchinya axis (north of Goma) have been emptied. The latest estimate is that around 60 % of the inhabitants of these camps are believed to be moving toward their places of origin. In contrast, in the areas west of the city, 80 % of the inhabitants of camps that were abandoned or destroyed during fighting in Goma are still in or around the city, regrouping in overcrowded sites, or sheltering with strained host families.

Reports (UNICEF, OCHA, UN, MSF) highlight severe medical, nutritional, and protection concerns, including:

● Medical Emergency: As of 01 February 2025, 2,880 people have been recorded as injured, with hospitals facing critical shortages of fuel, beds, and medical personnel. With reports exceeding 3000 deaths, morgues are at full capacity, necessitating immediate burial of identified bodies.

● Disease Outbreaks: Increasing cases of measles, cholera, and suspected mpox threaten displaced communities while medical centres struggle to maintain essential supplies.

● Looting and Supply Chain Disruptions: Medical warehouses, including those supporting cholera and mpox treatment, have been looted, exacerbating an already dire shortage of medical essentials.

● Protection Risks: Reports of widespread sexual violence, including a number of reported cases with children targeted, underline the urgent need for protection services and medical assistance.

● Education Crisis: The closure of 1,235 schools since 27 January 2025 has disrupted the education of approximately 204,000 children in Goma alone.