** The first three months of 2026 saw a heightened humanitarian response in the DRC, grappling with escalating epidemics and a significant displacement crisis.
📍 ** Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kinshasa, Ituri, Nord-Kivu, Sud-Kivu
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The year began with a severe resurgence of health crises across the DRC. Cholera remains the dominant emergency, accounting for 83,266 cases and 2,384 deaths between weeks 1-2025 and 8-2026, with a fatality rate of 3%. Kinshasa continues to bear the brunt of the outbreak, representing 30% of all cholera cases. Simultaneously, the mpox epidemic recorded 11,577 suspected cases and 130 deaths, while the resurgence of measles saw 44,379 suspected cases and 428 deaths. These overlapping health threats are compounded by the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the conflict-affected provinces of Ituri, Nord-Kivu, and Sud-Kivu, forcing 6.47 million people from their homes.
Recognizing the urgent need for improvement, significant strides were made in bolstering the implementation of the Rapid Situation Monitoring (RSM) framework established in 2005. Key interventions focused on strengthening surveillance, risk communication, food safety, zoonotic disease control, and managing entry points. Two critical reviews, the Intra-Action Cholera Review and the Post-Ebola Review, provided targeted recommendations for enhancing coordination, information systems, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) efforts, community outreach programs, and preparedness for future emergencies like Ebola.
The response has been significantly bolstered through increased surveillance and diagnostics, including the expansion of mpox testing via RadiOne and the provision of 1,500 GeneXpert cartridges. Efforts are focused on direct patient care with 25 kits for treating measles distributed to support around 14,000 individuals across 13 health zones. Furthermore, 4,236 frontline healthcare workers were equipped with improved training in surveillance, Point of Care testing, Patient Education and Counseling, Community Risk Education, and Laboratory Diagnostics, aiming to build resilience against future outbreaks following the Ebola crisis. Investments from organizations like the WHO have focused on supporting crucial healthcare infrastructure, including the Bulape Zone Health Bureau and Hospital, and improving access to water and medicine.
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Original Source: Link
** #Cholera #EbolaResponse #DRCHealth #HumanitarianCrisis #Mpox #DiseaseSurveillance #HealthEmergency #WHO