https://en.sputniknews.africa/20230820/insecurity-pushes-children-in-dr-congo-into-worst-cholera-crisis-in-six-years-unicef-1061465634.html
Insecurity Pushes Children in DR Congo Into Worst Cholera Crisis in Six Years: UNICEF
Insecurity Pushes Children in DR Congo Into Worst Cholera Crisis in Six Years: UNICEF
Sputnik Africa
According to the United Nations, the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has experienced a significant increase in humanitarian needs since early... 20.08.2023, Sputnik Africa
2023-08-20T13:29+0200
2023-08-20T13:29+0200
2023-08-21T17:28+0200
sub-saharan africa
democratic republic of the congo (drc)
united nations (un)
united nations children's fund (unicef)
health
world health organization (who)
cholera
disease
central africa
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The UNICEF has warned of the deteriorating humanitarian situation in eastern DRC, highlighting that a surge in conflict and displacement in the region is pushing children into the worst cholera crisis since 2017. According to the UN agency, in the first seven months of 2023, there have been at least 31,342 suspected or confirmed cholera cases and 230 deaths throughout the nation. The epicenter of the crisis is North Kivu in the eastern part of the country, with over 21,400 confirmed or suspected cases, including more than 8,000 children under the age of five. This compares to a total of 5,120 cases in all of 2022, of which 1,200 were children under five years. The dire humanitarian situation caused by violent intersecting conflicts is forcing families in eastern DRC to rely on unsafe water sources, leading to the rapid spread of cholera.The UN official added that there is a high risk of the disease spreading to displacement sites where health systems are already overwhelmed and the population, especially children, is highly vulnerable. It was noted that displacement camps are usually overcrowded, which makes them ripe for cholera transmission. Moreover, displaced persons living in camps near Goma face massive water and sanitation shortages - nearly 300,000 people, including 183,000 children, lack access to adequate water. According to UN estimates, in eastern DRC, 4.9 million people are currently in need of humanitarian aid, including 2.8 million children. The DRC experiences the worst displacement crisis in Africa, with over 6.3 million displaced people across the nation.The agency further elaborated that its teams are working on the ground to provide people with much-needed assistance. However, it added they need more resources to reach the most vulnerable children. In this regard, it called for $62.5 million to scale up its cholera and WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) prevention and response activities over the next five months. The organization is planning to reach 1.8 million people, including 1 million children, with safe water, hygiene kits, medical supplies and child-friendly cholera treatment. More than 120 armed groups are reported to be operating in large parts of eastern DRC, destabilizing the country and neighboring areas. Last year, the security situation worsened when the M23 rebel group resumed its fight against the government.
https://en.sputniknews.africa/20230718/eac-regional-force-to-investigate-alleged-killings-by-m23-rebels-in-eastern-dr-congo-1060607458.html
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democratic republic of the congo (drc), united nations (un), united nations children's fund (unicef), health, world health organization (who), cholera, disease, central africa
democratic republic of the congo (drc), united nations (un), united nations children's fund (unicef), health, world health organization (who), cholera, disease, central africa
Insecurity Pushes Children in DR Congo Into Worst Cholera Crisis in Six Years: UNICEF
13:29 20.08.2023 (Updated: 17:28 21.08.2023) According to the United Nations, the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has experienced a significant increase in humanitarian needs since early 2022 due to conflict and internal displacement, exacerbated by climate-related disasters and recurrent health outbreaks.
The UNICEF has warned of the deteriorating humanitarian situation in eastern DRC, highlighting that a surge in conflict and displacement in the region is pushing children into the worst cholera crisis since 2017.
According to the UN agency, in the first seven months of 2023, there have been at least 31,342 suspected or confirmed
cholera cases and 230 deaths throughout the nation.
The epicenter of the crisis is North Kivu in the eastern part of the country, with over 21,400 confirmed or suspected cases, including more than 8,000 children under the age of five. This compares to a total of 5,120 cases in all of 2022, of which 1,200 were children under five years.
"The size of the cholera outbreak and the devastation it threatens should ring alarm bells. If urgent action is not taken within the next months, there is a significant risk that the disease will spread to parts of the country that have not been affected for many years," said Shameza Abdulla, UNICEF DRC Senior Emergency Coordinator, based in Goma, North Kivu province.
The dire humanitarian situation caused by violent intersecting conflicts is forcing families in eastern DRC to rely on unsafe water sources, leading to the rapid
spread of cholera.
The UN official added that there is a high risk of the disease spreading to displacement sites where health systems are already overwhelmed and the population, especially children, is highly vulnerable.
It was noted that
displacement camps are usually overcrowded, which makes them ripe for cholera transmission. Moreover, displaced persons living in camps near Goma face massive water and sanitation shortages - nearly 300,000 people, including 183,000 children, lack access to adequate water.
In 2017, cholera spread throughout the country, including the capital, Kinshasa, resulting in nearly 55,000 cases and over 1,100 deaths.
According to UN estimates, in eastern DRC, 4.9 million people are currently in need of humanitarian aid, including 2.8 million children. The DRC experiences the worst displacement crisis in Africa, with over 6.3 million displaced people across the nation.
More than 1.5 million people have been newly displaced this year in North Kivu, South Kivu, and Ituri provinces.
The agency further elaborated that its teams are working on the ground to provide people with much-needed assistance. However, it added they need more resources to reach the most vulnerable children.
In this regard, it called for $62.5 million to scale up its cholera and WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) prevention and response activities over the next five months. The organization is planning to reach 1.8 million people, including 1 million children, with safe water, hygiene kits, medical supplies and child-friendly cholera treatment.
More than 120 armed groups are reported to be operating in large parts of eastern DRC,
destabilizing the country and neighboring areas. Last year, the security situation worsened when the M23 rebel group resumed its fight against the government.
