Katanga
Cholera epidemic in the province
- The prevalence of cholera remains a cause for concern in the Kolwezi health district, where 102 cases, without any known deaths, have been reported between 23 February and 01 March. The figure is higher than for the previous week, during which 94 cases were reported, including two deaths. The fatality rate has however decreased, which is partly attributable to the response. During the first two months of the current year, a total of 764 cases have been recorded in the province, including 31 known deaths.
- The World Health Organization (WHO) is planning a support mission, for an awareness campaign in Fungurume, where the epidemic is also present. Between 23 February and 01 March, 42 cases were reported in the area, without any known deaths. The emergency teams of Médecins Sans Frontières – Holland (MSF-H) are providing medical treatment for those affected.
High malnutrition in the Ankoro health district
- The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) reported the deployment to Ankoro of teams from the DRC Nutritional Emergencies Pool (PUNC) of the non-governmental organization (NGO) Action contre la faim (ACF), which will be engaged in monitoring and treatment of acute malnutrition at community level. Two hundred cartons of therapeutic food have arrived in Kalemie via UNICEF, in response to the current needs.
Nord-Kivu
Population movements
- According to information received, several persons have been injured, and several villages burnt, due to belligerence between armed groups around the village of Ufamando, in the Masisi territory. Most of the civilians fleeing from the violence have arrived in Sud-Kivu, especially in the Minova area, in the Kalehe territory, where many of them are accommodated in the Mubimbi I primary school. The first wave of displaced persons has arrived on 07 March, with a second wave arriving on 09 March.
Humanitarian access
- Humanitarians are still not able to reach all internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the province. But despite the obstacles, approximately 80% of those displaced in 2008 and earlier, and approximately 30% of those more recently displaced, are accessible and in receipt of humanitarian assistance.
Province Orientale
Population movements in the Haut-Uélé district
- Since the start of March, approximately 17,000 persons have been displaced in the area around Faradje, due to armed hostilities. Current estimates indicate a total figure of 162,142 IDPs in the district at the present time. This figure is considerably higher than that of 133,749 estimated at the end of January. The increase is due to continued attacks and violations of human rights against civilians. This situation has also led 18,000 persons to leave to the Aru territory, in the Ituri district, while approximately 16,000 have reportedly crossed the border into the Sudan.
Kidnapping of children in Djabir
- According to a local NGO, 17 children have been kidnapped during an attack by armed individuals on 24 February in Djabir, a village located approximately 10 km from Faradje, in the Haut-Uélé district.
Sud-Kivu
Recruitment of children by armed groups in Uvira
- Humanitarians are concerned by reports indicating the recruitment of children by armed groups in the Uvira territory. These reported incidents appear to be part of harassment against civilians by armed groups, especially in the axes between Uvira and the Hauts Plateaux, as well as between Runingu and the Hauts Plateaux.
Humanitarian access
- Humanitarians have access to approximately 75% of recently displaced IDPs, and to approximately 80% of those displaced in 2008 or earlier.
- The Bulambika bridge, located near Bunyakiri in the Kalehe territory, has collapsed last week. This causes difficulties in travelling from Bukavu to Bunyakiri, Hombo, and Kalonge. Due to this problem, the World Food Programme (WFP) has postponed a food assistance mission to IDPs in those areas.
Pour plus d'informations, veuillez contacter:
Maurizio Giuliano, Public Information Officer a.i., OCHA Kinshasa, giuliano@un.org, tel. +243-81-9889195
Nestor Yombo-Djema, Spokesperson, OCHA Kinshasa, yombodjema@un.org, tel.: +243-99-2906623
Sylvestre Ntumba, Assistant Information Officer, OCHA Kinshasa, ntumbamudingayi@un.org, tel +243-99-8845386
