The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is in the midst of a severe health crisis, with outbreaks of cholera, measles, mpox (monkeypox), anthrax, and plague overwhelming the healthcare system. The World Health Organization (WHO) has sounded the alarm, urging for an immediate increase in funding to address the escalating situation.
“The challenges faced by the people of DRC have reached alarming levels,” said Boureima Hama Sambo, the WHO representative to the country. Violence, climate shocks, displacement, poverty, and malnutrition are exacerbating the health crisis.
The country is grappling with its worst cholera outbreak since 2017, with nearly 50,000 suspected cases and 470 deaths recorded in 2023. Measles is also causing significant devastation, with close to 28,000 cases and 750 deaths reported so far this year.
Mpox, a disease endemic to the region, is emerging as a particular concern. The DRC is experiencing a surge in cases, with nearly 4,000 suspected infections and 271 deaths in 2024 alone. Worryingly, this outbreak includes reported cases of sexual transmission for the first time with clade I of the virus, a strain ten times more virulent than the one causing the global outbreak.
The health crisis coincides with the world’s second-largest displacement crisis, with close to 10 million people internally displaced in the DRC. Furthermore, poverty and hunger plague a quarter of the population, leaving nearly 20 million people in dire need of healthcare assistance.
The WHO and the UN have appealed for international support. In February, the UN requested $2.6 billion to provide humanitarian aid to 8.7 million people in the DRC. With the situation rapidly deteriorating and the potential for regional spillover, the WHO emphasizes the urgency of a global response to prevent further loss of life.
