Red Cross Warns of Critical Health Crisis in Eastern DR Congo Amid Conflict and Shortages

Healthcare System Nears Collapse in Eastern DRC

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has sounded the alarm over a rapidly deteriorating healthcare system in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). A recent assessment conducted in September 2025 across 240 health facilities in the North and South Kivu provinces revealed widespread drug shortages and a significant exodus of medical personnel.

According to the ICRC's findings, a staggering 85 percent of the surveyed facilities have run out of essential medicines. Concurrently, nearly 40 percent reported that health workers have fled their posts, driven away by insecurity and a severe lack of funding. This critical situation is forcing wounded civilians, including women and children, to undertake perilous journeys through active combat zones in search of treatment, often only to find clinics devoid of qualified staff or necessary medications.

Escalating Violence and Humanitarian Funding Crisis

The dire state of healthcare is directly linked to the worsening security situation in eastern DRC, which has seen renewed fighting involving the March 23 Movement (M23) rebel group since January 2025. The M23's advance has led to the seizure of key towns such as Goma and Bukavu, escalating a decades-long conflict and displacing hundreds of thousands of civilians.

François Moreillon, head of the ICRC delegation in the DRC, emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating, 'Thousands of lives are at stake. Ensuring the delivery of medicines, safe patient transfers, and the protection of medical staff is urgent.' He further noted that the healthcare crisis has reached 'a critical point' as armed conflict intensifies while humanitarian funding simultaneously dwindles. The collapse of humanitarian assistance has left 80 percent of facilities in the Kivu region without partner support.

Impact on Vulnerable Populations

The conflict's toll on the population is evident in the rising number of casualties and other health emergencies. More than 70 percent of the assessed facilities have treated weapon-related injuries this year. Hospitals in Beni, Goma, Bukavu, and Fizi alone reported over 3,400 cases of such injuries, marking a 160 percent increase from 2024. Additionally, the ICRC recorded 948 cases of sexual violence that received medical and psychosocial support in the first half of 2025.

The displacement crisis further exacerbates the healthcare strain, with 91 percent of health clinics in North and South Kivu having received over 5,000 internally displaced people since January 2025. Hippolyte Ten, deputy health coordinator at the ICRC, highlighted the tragic reality: 'It's often the case that even when a sick or wounded person manages to reach a medical facility, despite the difficulties in doing so, there isn't anyone qualified to treat them. And even when there is someone, in most cases, the medicines they need aren't available.'

Call for Respect of International Humanitarian Law

Beyond conflict-related injuries, the DRC continues to battle multiple health crises, including outbreaks of cholera, measles, mpox, and malaria, compounded by high rates of acute malnutrition. The ICRC has reiterated its urgent call for all parties to the conflict to respect international humanitarian law and ensure the protection of medical personnel and infrastructure, which are vital for saving lives in this escalating humanitarian catastrophe.