Despite calm gradually returning to Goma, the capital of North Kivu province in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, humanitarian organisations warn of worsening conditions as hospitals are overwhelmed, essential supplies dwindle, and bodies remain in the streets, raising fears of disease outbreaks.
The violence in Goma erupted last week when the M23 rebel group launched a major offensive against government forces. The fighting has left at least 700 people dead and 2,800 injured over the past five days, according to the UN.
Thousands have been displaced, many fleeing to neighbouring Rwanda, including staff from international organisations such as the UN and the World Bank.
The security and humanitarian situations in Goma are ''extremely'' bad and continue to deteriorate, Ndeye Khadi Lo, spokesperson for the UN mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo, MONUSCO, told TRT Afrika.
Several humanitarian organisations had to evacuate their ''non-essential'' staff for safety reasons but there were still some humanitarians managing to deliver services, Khadi Lo said.
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) told Anadolu news agency in an interview on Saturday that while life is slowly returning to normal in Goma, with transport resuming and markets reopening, serious challenges persist.
“The situation in Goma right now seems to be getting calmer. Life is getting a little bit back to normal, and transport is being seen and markets opening,” Natalia Torrent, who leads MSF operations in North Kivu, said over telephone from Goma.
Torrent said the medical charity and other organizations were now getting out into the field to assess the situation on the ground.
“Another issue that we have been seeing in town is that there have been many dead bodies lying around. Colleagues from the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Congolese Red Cross have been in charge of ensuring the collection of dead bodies around town to avoid the spread of disease,” she said.
The World Health Organization, alongside government partners, conducted an assessment that revealed the staggering toll of the conflict. Officials warned, however, that the figures are likely to rise as more information becomes available amid health concerns.
UN agencies have urged an end to the escalating violence, warning of deteriorating conditions in Goma, home to about 3 million people.
The World Food Programme has also raised alarms about dwindling supplies of food, clean water, and medical resources.
“People are really running out of food, clean water, medical supplies, and that’s a big concern,” said WFP's spokeswoman Shelley Thakral.
MSF's Torrent said people in the city center have been suffering for days without electricity, water, and food “because they were hiding in their houses.”
She said the MSF is trying to assess the current water situation in the city to prevent diseases like cholera, which could spread quickly.
The MSF’s Torrent said hospitals treating trauma cases in Goma are overwhelmed with patients.
“The hospital that MSF has been running since last Thursday, called Geshero, has received more than 154 patients, and right now, we are handling 12 patients with surgical care,” she said.
Torrent said medical teams are exhausted, especially since Friday.
She added that the humanitarian organisation is reviewing its medicine stocks “because some of the warehouses belonging to organisations, including MSF, were looted.”
“We are reassessing the current medical stocks that we have ... to continue supporting activities in Goma and the North Kivu province, where we manage four big hospitals and a network of health centers.”
Rwanda said nine of its citizens died in alleged cross-border fire from Goma. At least 18 peacekeepers have also been killed since last week.
Kinshasa accuses Rwanda of sending troops to support the rebels, an allegation Kigali denies. Uganda has also been accused of backing the rebels, a claim it rejects.
Regional leaders have called for an immediate ceasefire to prevent the violence from escalating into a broader regional conflict.
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