The United Nations: The virgin of violence in the eastern Democratic Congo faces “unimaginable challenges”

During a press conference in Geneva today, a spokesman for the Office of Humanitarian Affairs Coordination (OCHA) Yans Larkie said that his colleagues in the city reported the existence “Several bodies in the streets”, Amid reports on gender -based violence and rape committed by fighters, and looting property – including a humanitarian warehouse, and hitting humanitarian and health facilities.

Larkie said that the hospitals in Goma became burdened with the flow of the wounded, and the electricity and water supplies were disrupted, and the Internet service was interrupted since yesterday.

The UCA spokesman repeated the invitation of the Humanitarian Coordinator Bruno Lumarki to the parties to agree on temporary humanitarian interruptions in the most affected areas, the establishment of humanitarian corridors to ensure the resumption of humanitarian activities on a large scale, and to facilitate the safe evacuation of the wounded and civilians trapped in the fighting areas. He also stressed the need to reopen the airport and keep the border points between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Goma, working to enable people to flee violence.

Food supply deficiency

For its part, the World Food Program spokeswoman said, Shilly Thakral. “It faces unimaginable challenges.” س In order: “Every step of their risky journey. The roads are closed, the ports are closed, and those who cross Lake Kivu risk their lives in temporary boats. Some of the sites of the displaced have been emptied as the fighting was more violent.”

She said from the Congolese capital Kinshasa that a civil society activist told her this morning that the security and humanitarian situation in Goma was deteriorating, and he said: “We are still here, but we are hiding. We don’t know who will come to help us.”

Like other international agencies, only the main program employees remain in the region, and food aid activities have been temporarily stopped. Thakral said: “The World Food Program is concerned about the scarcity of food in Goma and the high prices of food, as the airport closed and cut off the main roads to reach the region. Depending on the duration of the continued violence, the city’s supply of food can be severely disrupted.”

She added that this is a huge test of the Congolese trapped due to the fighting in Guma and its surrounding areas – for their ability to withstand. She stated that the next twenty -four hours will be decisive, as people will run out of supplies and they will need to know what they can find to survive.

Health fears escalate

Dr. Adhamid Marshang, the emergency response coordinator of the Cross of the Democratic Republic of the Congo at the World Health Organization, said that hundreds of people in hospitals, most of whom have gunshots and shrapnel, increases the risk of highly infection.

She said that the organization is especially concerned about the health and safety of women and girls “Those who are at risk of violence, including rape,” Adding that pregnant women are at risk “As mothers mortality rates are high even before the escalation of violence.” It also emphasized that the conditions are favorable to the spread of infectious diseases such as cholera and measles.

Before the airport was closed on Saturday, the World Health Organization managed to send critical medical supplies to treat clarity, emergency care, infection, cholera and other supplies. The organization provides hospitals to expand its treatment capabilities and deal with the increasing number of injured people.

Dr. Marshang said: “Unfortunately, hospitals and health workers are in danger. We hear reports about the exposure of health workers, and the occurrence of patients, including children, in the mutual fire. The World Health Organization reminds everyone that the attacks on health care violate the rules of war. Healthcare must be protected in All times.

Last year, in the north and south of Kivu, he reported 21672 cases and 59 deaths due to cholera, 11710 cases and 115 deaths due to measles, while malaria is still a “major killer in the region,” according to Dr. Marshang.

The East of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is also the center of the new strain of monkey chickenpox, which was announced by the Director General of the World Health Organization, a general health emergency that raises international concern in August.

More than 20,000 cases of monkey chickenpox have been reported since 2024, including more than six thousand cases in the past six weeks. Dr. Marshang said it is difficult to follow the disease and treat it properly due to violence, especially when people are on a state of continuous transportation.