Democratic Republic of Congo: Responding to the nutritional emergency in Goma

Since the beginning of March 2025, Première Urgence Internationale has stepped up its actions to improve the health and nutrition of vulnerable communities, by strengthening healthcare structures and providing essential food and psychosocial support.

Increased precariousness

In Goma, in the eastern DRC province of North Kivu, is suffering the consequences of armed clashes and massive population displacement. Many families, forced to flee their homes, find themselves in precarious conditions, often deprived of basic services. Food insecurity is exacerbated by the weakness of the health system, leaving thousands of people, particularly women and children, without access to healthcare.

Supporting local health structures

To guarantee access to quality healthcare, Première Urgence Internationale works closely with the Health Zone Central Office. The teams set up :

• Training for healthcare staff to improve patient care,
• The supply of essential medicines to treat common pathologies and malnutrition,
• Improving health infrastructures to guarantee optimal care.

Since the beginning of March, in the two health structures supported in the Karisimbi Health Zone (Baraka and Hebron Health Centers),

• 1,280 consultations have been carried out for children under 5,
• 4,032 consultations were carried out for patients aged 5 and over,
• 171 births were attended.

These efforts are enabling local healthcare establishments to be better prepared to meet the growing needs of the population.

Complementarity of activities

At the same time, our teams run nutrition and hygiene awareness campaigns to help communities adopt better food and health practices.

Première Urgence Internationale also places particular emphasis on psychosocial support. Following the recent violent events, many people, particularly women and children, are suffering from trauma. Our staff encourage the use of appropriate therapies to support victims and foster their resilience.

The help provided enables families to regain a little hope. “We have access to free care and medicines, which means a lot to us, because with the situation we’re in, I don’t know how we could have looked after ourselves,” says one mother.

A call for solidarity

Despite these advances, the needs remain immense. Première Urgence Internationale is calling for increased support to pursue its actions and guarantee a more stable future for Goma’s communities.

These activities are made possible thanks to funding from the European Union and the Swedish Cooperation.