A cholera epidemic is spreading rapidly throughout the country

In the last year, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been faced with a new wave of conflict crimes and atrocities. At the start of the year, M23 rebels seized many areas, including Goma, the provincial capital, and other areas, forcing hundreds of thousands to flee and seek safety in internally displaced persons camps. As M23 wreaked havoc across the DRC, the United Nations reported conflict-related sexual and gender-based violence, summary executions, kidnappings, enforced disappearances, targeted attacks against human rights defenders, journalists, other civil society actors and peacekeepers, and bombings sites of displaced schools, hospitals, hospitals. In February 2025, in response to growing reports of a worsening situation in the country, and as fighting intensified between government forces and the Rwandan-backed M23 armed group, the UN Human Rights Council adopted resolution agreeing to establish a fact-finding mission into the serious human rights abuses and violations of international humanitarian law committed in the provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu in the eastern DRC.

More than 21 million Congolese are affected by multiple crises, be it armed conflicts, natural disasters and epidemics. However, the situation is only going to get worse as the cholera epidemic spreads across the country. Cholera is a highly contagious bacterial infection. Although treatable and preventable, without proper care, it can quickly become fatal. Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) warns that the outbreak is one of the worst in a decade, while the health care system remains unable to respond and slow down an outbreak of this scale.

According to MSF, about 20 of the country’s 26 provinces are now affected. From January to mid-October, the Ministry of Health reported more than 58,000 suspected cases. More than 1,700 deaths have been recorded. As MSF reports, the situation continues to worsen, spreading to new health zones, including provinces where cholera was not endemic in the past: “Flooding, conflict and displacement, as well as inadequate sanitation and water supply systems, have helped fuel widespread outbreaks of waterborne diseases. contamination.”

The cholera response is said to face major obstacles, including insufficient funding from the Congolese government, a limited presence of humanitarian agencies and a lack of coordination in the emergency response mechanism. Other challenges include: weak surveillance and case identification systems, shortages of medical personnel and supplies, and limited vaccine distribution further jeopardize the implementation of a rapid, effective, and sustainable response.

The death rates in the DRC are extremely alarming. While the World Health Organization suggests that the death rate in treatment centers should remain below 1%, the PRC faces a death rate in excess of 3%. Contributing factors are poor sanitation, inadequate access to clean water and lack of sanitation. Such factors are of particular concern in densely populated areas and large cities such as Kinshasa.

Responses are said to be significantly hampered by logistical difficulties, security risks, administrative barriers and supply issues. Likewise, access to health care remains a significant challenge for long-distance communities. Lack of transportation and security concerns make access to medical facilities difficult.

As MSF emphasizes, cholera must be placed at the top of the national agenda as a major public health threat in the DRC. The organization calls for concerted action to ensure rapid delivery of medical care, including vaccine availability, unhindered access and sustainable investment in access to safe drinking water and sanitation. As the DPRK continues to struggle with armed conflict, natural disasters and epidemics, more needs to be done to help the people and entire communities affected.