DRC's Eastern Provinces Grapple with Worsening Health and Food Crises

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) warns that the health system in Minova, Kalehe territory of South‑Kivu, is on the brink of collapse after the World Bank withdrew funding from the Multisectoral Nutrition and Health Programme. The suspension has led to shortages of medicines, vaccines and essential supplies, the introduction of fees for obstetric and neonatal care (up to $100 for a caesarean section), and a 34 % drop in maternity visits in early 2026. MSF officials say national programmes for malaria, tuberculosis, HIV, malnutrition and vaccination are no longer functioning effectively in many areas.

At the same time, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) have issued an alert on an escalating food emergency in the eastern provinces of North‑Kivu, South‑Kivu, Ituri and Tanganyika. More than 26.5 million Congolese – roughly one in four – are unable to meet basic food needs, with over 3.6 million in acute crisis. Current assistance reaches only about 1.3 million people, and the agencies request an additional US$163 million to scale up agricultural inputs and cash transfers before critical planting seasons are missed. Both crises are compounded by ongoing armed conflict and limited humanitarian access, threatening the health and livelihoods of millions in the region.