Displaced people from DRC cooking in the rain in a transit camp Photo by Sven Torfinn
For the past several weeks Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) teams have been assessing the refugee situation at the border of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda. An 11-person team of 3 doctors, 4 nurses and 3 logisticians is now working in 3 different sites to offer assistance to the refugees.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has transferred 9,720 refugees from the border since August, when the fighting intensified between the main rebel movement and the Congolese army in DRC’s North Kivu province. MSF first started organising medical consultations, water supplies and improved sanitation conditions in Ishasha, the main entry point from DRC, when a first wave of refugees arrived.
Since last week, the MSF team was confronted with a new influx of an estimated 10,000 refugees. The UNHCR has been organising the transfer of refugees to Nakivale transit camps, located 350 kilometers to the east since people began crossing the border.
Now transfers have stopped due to the risk of epidemics and 8,000 people are now settling in Matanda camp, 28 km away from Ishasha. MSF team is distributing 120 cubic meters of water per day and doing medical consultations.
A 24-bed cholera treatment center has been established in Niakivale transit camps. MSF is supplying 130 cubic meters of water per day and the team is cleaning and chlorinating the camp latrines. At the same time, the MSF team is carrying out community awareness activities about the importance of hygiene practices to contain the cholera outbreak.
With several aid agencies present and fewer refugees crossing into the area of Kisoro, 70 kilometers to the South of Ishasha, the humanitarian needs are being met. The MSF team will start medical consultations next week at the Nyakabande site and will provide logistical support to health centers for immunisation.