13.1 million people in need in need of humanitarian assistance in DRC don’t have Ebola

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is the longest humanitarian crisis of the world, and arguably one of the most complex. Whilst Ebola virus disease continues to attract most attention for DRC-related media, it is important to note that ten percent of the global IDP caseload is in DRC. There are currently 13.1 million people in need in need of assistance, more than half are children. More than two million children under five years of age are affected by severe acute malnutrition (SAM), and only 15 percent have access to a SAM treatment program. In DRC, 71 percent of children have finished primary school and 57 percent complete high school.

Despite these staggeringly concerning situation, the Humanitarian Response Plan for DRC in 2018 was only 45 percent funded, and 2019 looks similarly underfunded. That is despite there being over 25,000 confirmed cholera cases last year, and 145,000 cases of measles already this year.

Throughout DRC the challenges are immense. In Kasai Oriental and Lomami the rainy season is reducing access to humanitarian assistance. In Ituri the conflict continues and ethnicity is being used as a tool to further increase tension amongst communities. Health actors must ensure they employ staff from both Hema and Lendu ethnic groups to ensure all members of the community can access the health facilities. Attacks on villages by non-state armed actors have already lead to massive displacements.

In North Kivu the situation is still unstable and the situation has deteriorated with the Ebola virus disease outbreak. There are significant problems with armed groups in the area and humanitarian workers have been attacked in over 200 security incidents, with seven aid workers killed and many injured. The long term nature of the conflict has led to repeated pendula displacements of affected communities.

Within this environment, humanitarian and access negotiation with armed actors remains increasingly important and the role of civil military coordination amongst the huge array of armed and political stakeholder continues to negatively impact civilians.