The REMED staff carried out a humanitarian assessment in the Nyiragongo Health Zone on Thursday, June 02, 2022 after the escalations between the FARDC and the M23 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, near Goma.
Led by Mr. Robert Kahumula and John Baptist KIYANA, the team met Mr. RUKWIRAZINA Jovite, Nurse in charge of the Kanyaruchinya health area where several cases of illness are having free healthcare treatment support. In this area and around thousands displaced people are confined in schools, churches and host families in the Munigi, Kanyaruchinya, Kibati villages, not excluding host families in Goma.
According to Dr. Thierry SHUKURU, Head Doctor of the Nyiragongo health Zone, met while working at the central office in Kibumba, from May 24 to June 1, eight cases of sexual violence against displaced women were reported among them one tested pregnant in Kanyaruchinya and Munigi with no additional details, especially the identity of the perpetrators. These cases are taken care of in partnership with Heal Africa as underlined the Head Doctor.
From May 24 to June 1rst, the  Bujovu Mama Ushirika group in the Nyiragongo territory carried out several activities:
-  Psychological assistance through canceling sessions as to comfort 196 women and 98 children affected by the conflicts.
-  Host and feed 27 households, a total of 143 people including 49 women, 85 children and 9 men.
The team noteced that thousands of displaced people, much more women and children were in need of food and health assistance, as well as shelter and household stuff. These displaced people join those who lost their homes following the last Nyiragongo volcanic eruption in May 2021 and are still facing the same problem. 47,229 people is the total number of displaced persons listed in the health zone. They have no assistance apart from water supply from the NGOs and some food gathered to a small group of the needy. The team was informed about the distribution of food on June 1st by WFP and which caused unrest following the insufficient quantity distributed.
The health zone has made free healthcare treatment available to the displaced: visits have increased from 6 to 70, sometimes 100, 150 consultations per day in the health centers structures in the south of the zone, particularly at the Kanyaruchinya Health Center, the mobile clinic and Munigi. As an example, the Kanyaruchinya Health Center says have received for treatment 372 patients and 43 women who gave birth between May 24 and June 1, 2022, that worth US$1930 (US dollars thousand nine hundred and thirty) in charge of the Kanyaruchinya healthcare facility. Food support is another major concern underlined the head Doctor which fears malnutrition in the near future in addition to the need Infections’ Prevention Control, IPC items in all the health structures in the zone. Quickly, the recommendations in terms of urgent needs to the Ngos and the government can be summarized as:
- Free medical care in all the health structures for the population in the zone,
- Food assistance support for displaced people who do not have enough to live on, even household kits. Otherwise, malnutrition for the children, pregnant and lactating women is possibly announced.
- Infections’ Prevention Control, IPC supplies and medication support for health facilities.
The Head Doctor who makes these recommendations, asks partners, including NGOs, not to limit the aid to the displaced people in Munigi, Kibati and Kanyaruchinya but move as well down to Kibumba where the families are gradually returning. Even returned back in the villages, several populations face famine because food crops have been stolen from the fields, others from abandoned households; the health system was not spared: the Kingarame health center was looted of several drugs and other materials. The health zone lost a solar kit, a generator, thermos and mattresses at the general hospital. The same message is reiterated by the territory administrator.