Plagued by decades of internal conflicts, the Democratic Republic of Congo now hosts more than 4.5 million internally displaced people, with hundreds of thousands more living in overcrowded refugee camps in neighboring countries like Uganda and Rwanda.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is experiencing a humanitarian crisis.
➡️ Here are 8 facts you NEED to know: https://t.co/ERq7FFQds6 pic.twitter.com/gEIYlfF9Lr
— UN Humanitarian (@UNOCHA) April 27, 2018
As the conflict worsens, 18 of the DRC’s 26 provinces are facing an internal crisis, with 13.1 million people in need of humanitarian assistance.
The Kasai and Kivu provinces have seen the worst effects of the civil war, causing widespread displacement, chronic malnutrition, and the spread of infectious diseases such as cholera.
Direct Relief recently dispatched two tons of medical aid to the DRC. The shipment contained supplies to treat cholera, including 10,000 doses of oral rehydration salts, antibiotics, as well as Emergency Family Hygiene Kits that will benefit up to 2,500 displaced people.
The Direct Relief Emergency Family Hygiene Kits, which are supported through donations from Unilever, contain essential daily necessities such as soap, shampoo, antibiotic ointment, and oral hygiene items.
The donation was shipped to Save the Children, located in the country’s North Kivu Province, to support mobile medical clinics that travel to serve the country’s displaced populations. The clinics are staffed by local doctors, nurses, and midwives who are placed in areas lacking healthcare facilities and medical services.
Direct Relief will continue to monitor the ongoing crisis in the DRC and provide donations of essential medicines and supplies as needed.
