843 killed, 3,082 injured as war devastates Goma - WHO
Medical facilities are struggling to cope with the influx of casualties.
The humanitarian crisis in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo is worsening as escalating violence leaves hospitals overwhelmed and thousands injured.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) reported on Friday that at least 843 people have been killed and 3,082 injured in Goma since the conflict intensified on January 26.
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Medical facilities are struggling to cope with the influx of casualties. Over 70 health centres in North Kivu have been affected, with some destroyed.
Health workers, many exhausted and under-resourced, are fleeing for safety.
WHO warned that wound infections pose an increasing threat as medical supplies dwindle and injured people are unable to reach care in time.
"The sight of bodies left uncared for is distressing. The dead must be identified and buried properly, not just for dignity but for the peace of those they leave behind," said WHO.
The violence is also fueling the spread of disease. WHO reported nearly 600 suspected cholera cases and 14 deaths in North Kivu between January 1 and 27, 2025.
The region is also the epicentre of an mpox outbreak, but efforts to contain the disease have collapsed.
Fled for safety
In Goma, 90 per cent of mpox patients in isolation units have fled for safety, making treatment nearly impossible.
People who crossed from Congo wait for assistance in Gyseny, Rwanda, on Tuesday, following M23 rebels' advances into eastern Congo's capital Goma. (Photo: Yuhi Irakiza/AP)
Mothers and children are among those most at risk. Pregnant women struggle to access healthcare, increasing the likelihood of death during childbirth.
Malnutrition, already a crisis before the violence, is expected to worsen as food shortages intensify. One in four people in the region faces emergency levels of hunger.
The security situation has also led to a sharp rise in gender-based violence. A rapid assessment of 10 healthcare facilities in and around Goma recorded at least 45 cases of sexual violence among displaced people, including 21 survivors of gang rape admitted to hospitals.
WHO warned these figures are likely only a fraction of the real number.
The agency has deployed emergency medical and water treatment supplies, increasing hospital capacity by 1,000 beds, but resources are running low.
More humanitarian aid is needed, and WHO is calling for the urgent reopening of Goma's airport to allow critical supply deliveries. The agency is also exploring alternative routes to get aid into the region.
Further complicating relief efforts is the United States' recent decision to freeze foreign aid, which is expected to have major repercussions.
The US has historically provided up to 70 per cent of the country's humanitarian funding, including a large portion of the mpox response.
To meet immediate needs, WHO has already spent $600,000 (Sh77.46 million) on health services and burials, but the overall response requires at least $50 million (Sh6.46 billion)
The organisation is urging the international community to step up funding, calling for the protection of health workers, facilities, and patients.
"Health care should never be a target. But ultimately, what is most needed is peace. The people of this region have suffered unimaginable horrors for far too long," WHO added.
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