Following the recent demonstrations around North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a new influx of wounded people reaches Beni General Referral Hospital and Bethesda Hospital in Goma. In this turbulent context, the support of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is essential to guarantee that all wounded people get the medical assistance they need. The situation is particularly critical in light of the hospitals’ limited capacity: all 74 beds at Bethesda hospital and all 43 beds at Beni hospital are occupied, said Kelnor Panglungtshang, head of the ICRC’s subdelegation in Goma.
Historically, the ICRC has been helping out in the assistance and in the protection of victims of armed conflict and other violence in North Kivu since 1993. Today, to cope with the influx in such a violent situation, the ICRC teams have been mobilizing for more than a week, continued Panglungtshang. In more details, the help provided mostly consists of medical supplies and medicines to support hospitals, including the Congolese National Police Hospital, which is also experiencing a number of patients on the rise. In addition, the ICRC also monitors whether medical personnel are being allowed to carry out their activities without being hindered and thus, in turn, ensuring that wounded and sick people have a proper, timely and safe access to care.
By staying actively in contact with the local Red Cross, the ICRC is assessing whether and how the local committee might help, especially with the numerous reports of children losing contact with their families during the recent violence in north of Goma.
To know more, please read:
https://www.icrc.org/en/document/dr-congo-worrying-influx-wounded-people-beni-and-goma-hospitals
Author: Barbara Caltabiano
