Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is sounding the alarm over a potential decline in funding for North Kivu, a region in the Democratic Republic of Congo already grappling with a protracted humanitarian crisis. The international medical humanitarian organization expresses grave concerns that reduced financial support could further destabilize an already fragile health system, severely impacting essential care for the local population.

Speaking on the matter, Stéphane Doyon, program manager for MSF France, elaborated on the organization’s apprehension. He highlighted the vital role played by the Global Fund in providing crucial medical treatments across the province.

“Our concern stems from the fact that if North Kivu were to be removed from the Global Fund’s project, the majority of treatments currently arriving at health centers—those not directly supplied by Médecins Sans Frontières but originating from the Global Fund—would simply cease,” Doyon explained. “MSF cannot realistically substitute for the Global Fund across an entire province. This scenario would lead to an extremely critical situation.”

Doyon further emphasized the overwhelming burden of malaria in the region. “Malaria represents the primary reason for consultations in our health centers,” he stated. “Our priority is unequivocally to see malaria support reinstated for North Kivu, which remains one of the most severely affected and critical health zones currently.” He also pointed out the concurrent health challenges, including outbreaks of measles and cholera, which plague the region. The population, deeply scarred by conflict, is in urgent need of sustained external assistance to address these multifaceted health emergencies.