Shortages are leaving patients without treatment for malaria, HIV and other serious diseases<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
By I. Edwards HealthDay Reporter<\/b>
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THURSDAY, Oct. 9, 2025 (HealthDay News) \u2014 More than 200 health centers in eastern Congo are running out of essential medicine due to ongoing fighting and a lack of humanitarian aid, the International Committee of the Red Cross<\/a> (ICRC) warned.<\/p>\n The organization said it surveyed 240 medical facilities in North and South Kivu, provinces hit hard by violence involving M23 rebels and other armed groups.<\/p>\n The conflict has made it nearly impossible for supplies to reach clinics on both sides of the front line.<\/p>\n \u201cThe lives of thousands of people are at stake,\u201d Fran\u00e7ois Moreillon<\/a>, head of the ICRC delegation in Congo, told The Associated Press<\/em>.<\/p>\n There\u2019s an urgent shortage of medicines for malaria, HIV<\/a>, tuberculosis<\/a> and other life-threatening illnesses, Moreillon explained.<\/p>\n The Red Cross says the situation has become dire as humanitarian organizations scale back or completely shut down due to severe funding shortages.<\/p>\n \u201cCurrently, more than 80% of health facilities in the Kivu provinces receive no support from humanitarian partners and are only operational thanks to the remarkable commitment of their staff on both sides of the front lines,\u201d Moreillon said.<\/p>\n Further, nearly half of the centers are also facing staff shortages as medical workers flee the violence.<\/p>\n Eastern Congo\u2019s decades-long conflict, fueled by more than 100 armed groups competing for land and mineral resources, has escalated this year.<\/p>\n Rwanda-backed M23 rebels captured the key cities of Goma and Bukavu earlier in 2025, killing an estimated 3,000 people. All told, about 7 million have been displaced.<\/p>\n While international peace efforts have slowed some fighting, smaller clashes continue, making it harder for aid workers to reach civilians in need.<\/p>\n More information<\/strong><\/p>\n The United Nations Refugee Agency has more about humanitarian crises around the world<\/a>.<\/p>\n