Eastern Congo Faces Critical Health Crisis as Medicine Supplies Collapse
3 min read
A worsening conflict in eastern Congo has left most health facilities without medicines, threatening millions of lives.
More than 80% of health facilities are out of stock as war cuts off lifesaving treatments.
A devastating health crisis is unfolding in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where more than 80% of health facilities are now without essential medicine. According to a new assessment by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), more than 200 clinics in the war-torn North and South Kivu provinces are struggling to operate with no external support.
The shortages have left patients suffering without access to critical treatments for diseases like malaria, HIV/AIDS, and tuberculosis.
Conflict Cuts Off Medical Supply Chains
Years of conflict in the region have shattered supply routes. Fighting between government forces and the Rwanda-backed March 23 Movement (M23) rebels has made it nearly impossible to transport medicine across front lines. Even when supplies are available, the violence prevents safe delivery.
Health workers in many rural areas have fled for their safety, leaving hospitals and clinics understaffed and overwhelmed.
Humanitarian Funding Shortfall
The medical crisis is also being worsened by collapsing humanitarian funding. Many international organizations have scaled back their support, forcing health centers to survive on minimal resources.
“This is not just a medical emergency, it’s a human catastrophe,” said François Moreillon, a spokesperson for the ICRC. “Thousands of lives hang in the balance, and urgent international action is needed.”
Millions Affected by the Violence
The humanitarian situation in eastern Congo is one of the worst in the world. More than 7 million people have been displaced by the ongoing conflict, according to UN estimates, with over 3,000 killed this year alone. Camps for internally displaced people are overcrowded, and sanitation is poor, increasing the risk of disease outbreaks.
Health Workers on the Frontline
Local doctors and nurses are facing unimaginable pressure. With no medicines and no security guarantees, many are forced to turn patients away.
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“People are coming with treatable illnesses, but there’s nothing we can give them,” said one health worker in North Kivu. “We’ve seen children die from malaria because we have no medication left.”
Communities on the Brink
Entire communities are now dependent on sporadic aid deliveries, which are themselves under threat from escalating violence. Some areas have gone months without receiving medical supplies.
Basic items like antibiotics, painkillers, and antimalarial drugs have disappeared from shelves, leaving vulnerable groups
including children, pregnant women, and the elderly most at risk.
ICRC Calls for Global Action
The ICRC is calling on the international community to step in with urgent financial and logistical support to stabilize health services. They warn that if medicine doesn’t reach eastern Congo soon, the death toll will rise sharply.
“This is a crisis that demands attention,” said Moreillon. “Every day without medicine means more lives lost.”
A Forgotten Crisis
While global attention has focused on other conflicts, eastern Congo’s war continues to quietly devastate millions of lives. Humanitarian organizations stress that without sustained support, the country’s already fragile health system could completely collapse.
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