Ituri: With violence intensifying in South Sudan, more than 33,000 refugees have fled to northern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). In May, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) teams launched emergency activities to provide lifesaving medical care to a community facing crisis.
According to African Press Organization, Blessing Halima, a refugee from Morobo County, South Sudan, who recently fled to Adi, northern DRC, with her six children, described the dire conditions, “We saw people shooting guns. Then we saw planes shooting people from the sky. They began killing people and stealing everything. They took my husband. That’s why we ran.” Blessing Halima is not alone. In April, Atay Rose travelled for several days through the bush to reach Adi from Panyume, South Sudan.
Between January and June, an estimated 300,000 people were displaced by the violence, according to the UN, with 125,000 fleeing to neighbouring countries, including Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, and DRC. In DRC, more than 33,000 people have arrived since April, according to the country’s National Council of Refugees.
Instability has led to the total collapse of already-fragile public services, and MSF has been forced to close two hospitals and scale down operations in the country amid attacks on health facilities. Most people arriving in DRC have fled Morobo county in Central Equatoria state, which has become highly volatile due to intensified fighting this year. A few days ago, MSF was forced to suspend all activities in Morobo, including services in camps for internally displaced people, as well as in neighbouring Yei River county, following the abduction of health workers, including one of MSF’s staff members.
Many refugees arrive with few or no possessions whatsoever, having hastily fled South Sudan for their lives. Jacob Justin, who travelled alone, stated, “We are suffering. We have no schools, no hospitals and no access to clean water.” Viola Kani, who fled across the border in May with her brother and four children, said, “We ran away with nothing. They took our food and clothes. Now we are dying of hunger and don’t have anything to sleep on.”
To address the growing needs of the refugees, MSF launched an emergency response in May, deploying two mobile clinics and setting up six community healthcare centres. In less than two months since activities were launched, more than 3,000 medical consultations were carried out. Malaria accounts for more than half of all cases, followed by respiratory tract infections and acute gastroenteritis. Children under five years old are screened for malnutrition, and patients are treated with therapeutic food. MSF has also provided care to several survivors of sexual violence, including some as young as 12.
Measles cases have already been reported among the refugee community, leading to an MSF-supported mass vaccination campaign set to begin in August, targeting 62,000 children to reduce outbreak risks. A parallel campaign will seek to provide routine vaccinations to 520 infants and 310 pregnant women. MSF is also working on critical infrastructure projects, with teams installing water distribution points, latrines, and showers, expected to be completed by mid-August. Nearly 6,000 non-food item kits containing essentials will be distributed to families.
With more refugees arriving daily in DRC, MSF’s capacity to meet the growing needs is under pressure. “There are very few international organisations on the ground and none that are providing the same range of medical services as MSF,” says Asiyat Magomedova, MSF Head of Programmes covering the area. Without support from other partners, there is a risk that further lives will be lost.
In South Sudan, the situation remains critical, according to Dr Ferdinand Atte, MSF Head of Mission in the country. “It is crucial to ensure safe and unobstructed access to populations in need, and to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, including medical facilities,” says Dr Atte. For the South Sudanese refugees now living in DRC, there is little hope of returning home anytime soon. Viola expressed the sentiment of many, “If we go back, that means we are going to die. How can we go back there?”