OVERVIEW
Latest information on WHO, health partners and health needs in the current North Kivu crisis:
- There was an incident between MONUC and the regular armed forces north of Goma yesterday.
- Reception of 10 000 liters of Ringer lactate by WHO in Goma: distribution of drugs in the various health zones of North Kivu was carried out thanks to close cooperation between WHO and WFP.
- The hygiene evaluation and the cleansing of the cholera processing centres in the IDP camps has been completed.
- Dr. Eric Laroche ADG/HAC will visit from 25 November.
SITUATION UPDATE
Today, combat opposed Maï-Maï militiamen to the National congress for the defence of people (CNDP) in the locality of Katoro, 5 km of Kiwanja - the outcome is not known.
On 23 November, a MONUC convoy was stopped by soldiers approximately 2 km north of Goma. The soldiers suspected them of being members of the CNDP.
WHO experts continue to provide technical and logistic support for cleansing IDP sites and sensitizing communities on individual and collective hygiene in order to reduce the risks of disease (cholera, measles, acute respiratory infections, etc.) among the IDPs.
WFP and WHO continue to work in close cooperation for the shipping of medicines the affected health zones according to the distribution plan.
Dr. Eric Laroche, ADG/HAC will arrive in Kinshasa on 25November and travel to Goma the following day with Dr. Matthieu Kamwa, WHO Representative in DRC, and Dr. Omar Khatib, Regional Adviser EHA/AFRO. Their itinerary includes working sessions with WHO staff, various partners (agencies and NGOs) and provincial authorities as well as visits to IDP camps. A report will be delivered at the end of their stay.
HEALTH SITUATION ASSESSMENT
Cholera continues to spread in the province with 12 new cases recorded on 24 November in various cholera treatment centres (CTC).
Between 17 and 23 November, he Masisi health zone notified 64 new cases of measles including five deaths.
Water, hygiene and sanitation: WHO experts, along with WATSAN cluster partners completed the evaluation of hygiene and sanitation conditions in the CTC and the IDP camps. They reported a need to improve the conditions by restocking supplies, in particular Ringer lactate. They also noted that hygiene conditions remain very precarious in the IDP camps. The water provision in the CTC and the medical structures are priority in order to reduce the risks of the spread of cholera.
HEALTH CLUSTER RESPONSE
WHO visited the provincial reference laboratory on 22 November. WHO will:
- provide reagents and materials for the collection and transport of specimens;
- renew the generator so it can work 24 hours a day and provide fuel;
- buy a motorcycle for supervision activities.
URGENT NEEDS
Improvement of hygiene conditions and provision of water to reduce the risks of cholera spreading.
Protection of IDPs and humanitarian workers.
Creation of protected humanitarian corridors.
For more information, please contact:
Dr Matthieu Kamwa, WHO Representative
to the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Email: kamwam@cd.afro.who.int
Dr Brice Ahounou, Emergency and Humanitarian
Action (EHA) Focal Point
Email: ahounoub@cd.afro.who.int
Mr Eugène Kabambi, Communications Officer,
EHA, Kinshasa
Email: kabambie@cd.afro.who.int