GENEVA / DRC HEALTH SITUATION UPDATE

STORY: GENEVA / DRC HEALTH SITUATION UPDATE
TRT: 02:27
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 22 SEPTEMBER 2023 GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

SHOTLIST:
1. Med shot, UN flag alley, UN Geneva
2. Wide shot, speakers and attendees at the press conference, screens with speaker
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr. Boureima Hama Sambo, Representative in DRC, World Health Organization (WHO):
“DRC is facing its worst cholera outbreak since 2017. The eastern provinces are the most affected ones, accounting for 80 percent of the cases. We have close to 30,000 suspected cases of cholera reported. The country is also battling the largest outbreak of measles recorded since 2019.”
4. Med shot, attendees at the press conference
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr. Boureima Hama Sambo, Representative in DRC, World Health Organization (WHO):
6. “The country is battling an epicenter of the humanitarian crisis over the past two decades, the eastern side of the country is severely affected due to the intensity of the conflict and the increasing humanitarian needs.”
7. Wide shot, attendees at the press conference
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr. Boureima Hama Sambo, Representative in DRC, World Health Organization (WHO):
“The combination of measles and malnutrition has severe health impacts on children under five years of age, putting them at risk of dying with lack of access to adequate treatments. WHO has deployed experts to affected areas to support the authorities in investigating and responding to these outbreaks.”
9. Medium shot: attendees at the press conference
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr. Boureima Hama Sambo, Representative in DRC, World Health Organization (WHO):
“On the gender-based violence, I will mention our support to victims of gender-based violence. Around 23,000 cases of gender-based violence were reported in the six provinces from January to August 2023. These numbers are probably much higher considering the low reporting by the victims and the weakness of health services to capture this data in a more exhaustive way.”
11. Med shot, podium of the press conference
12. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr. Boureima Hama Sambo, Representative in DRC, World Health Organization (WHO):
“DRC must not be forgotten. We need more whatever the support of our donors and partners to continue delivering these much needed health services to the people of DRC. WHO response is only funded by 14 percent so far. We need a more sustainable and resilient health response in DRC.”
13. Wide shot, attendees at the press conference, screens with speaker
14. Med shot, attendees at the press conference
STORYLINE:

Increasing violence from armed conflict and intercommunal clashes which have left entire villages burned to the ground in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) along with rampant sexual violence and a cholera outbreak are devastating the lives of millions of people, the World Health Organization (WHO) said today (22 Sep).

“The country is battling an epicenter of the humanitarian crisis over the past two decades, the eastern side of the country is severely affected due to the intensity of the conflict and the increasing humanitarian needs,” reported Dr. Boureima Hama Sambo, WHO’s representative in the DRC.

According to the WHO, a total of 7.4 million people in the DRC need health assistance and conditions are worsening. Some 6.3 million have been displaced in the last 18 months in the eastern part of the country and they are more at risk of disease outbreak and acute malnutrition as they have limited or no access to food, safe water and health care.

Health facilities are set on fire, health workers are killed and supplies looted. WHO has verified 32 attacks on health facilities in 2022, causing 3 deaths and 7 injuries, compared to 19 attacks so far in 2023. The ongoing violence is also hindering the delivery of health services on the ground at a moment when it is much needed.

“DRC is facing its worst cholera outbreak since 2017," said Hama Sambo. “The eastern provinces are the most affected ones, accounting for 80 percent of the cases. We have close to 30,000 suspected cases of cholera reported. The country is also battling the largest outbreak of measles recorded since 2019.”

This number compares to only slightly over 5000 last year for the same period.

WHO has deployed experts to affected areas to support the authorities in investigating and responding to these outbreaks.

“The combination of measles and malnutrition has severe health impacts on children under five years of age, putting them at risk of dying with lack of access to adequate treatments,” said WHO’s DRC representative.

The WHO also provided increasing support to the victims of gender-based violence, including access to mental health and psychosocial support, medical care and Post-Exposure Prophylaxis.

“Around 23,000 cases of gender-based violence were reported in the six provinces from January to August 2023. These numbers are probably much higher considering the low reporting by the victims and the weakness of health services to capture this data in a more exhaustive way,” noted Hama Sambo.

The UN’s health organization has recently completed a vaccination campaign in Ituri province reaching over one million of children under 5 years of age with a coverage of 88 percent. More vaccination campaigns will follow in other provinces.

The WHO’s representative reminded that “DRC must not be forgotten. We need more support of our donors and partners to continue delivering these much needed health services to the people of DRC.” The organization's response plan of USD 31 million has so far only been funded with 14 percent (USD 4,3 million).