Goma/Kinshasa, 9/1/2025 - The security and humanitarian situation in the territory of Masisi, North Kivu, remains highly volatile. As fighting continued this Thursday morning in and around Masisi town between the M23/AFC and the Congolese army, backed by allied elements, thousands of people - residents, MSF and Ministry of Health staff and their families - once again flocked to the Masisi General Hospital and the MSF base, to seek refuge.
“It's difficult to estimate their exact number, but I would say that more than 10,000 people are still sheltering there, the vast majority of them women and children” said Romain Briey, MSF's project coordinator in Masisi.
“We are starting to have some concerns because the sanitation facilities are not sufficient to meet their basic needs,” he continues. “Latrines are starting to overflow, and we are doing our best to respond to this situation. But the severe lack of humanitarian actors in the area is making things difficult.”
This is not the first time that these structures have seen such an influx of displaced people. Such movements have been common in this conflict-ridden area in recent years. Last week, people had already sought refuge in the Masisi general hospital and the Nyabiondo referral health center. Since then, MSF and Ministry of Health teams have been mobilized to deal with the influx of wounded. Between January 2 and this Thursday morning, 77 injured people have been treated.
“Today, in addition to treating the injured and continuing to provide regular care, the teams are trying to support the refugee families in the facilities by ensuring access to drinking water and medical care,” explains Romain Briey. “But there will soon be a need for food if the situation continues.”
The security situation in the area is also affecting MSF's ability to refer patients in critical condition to Goma and to deploy teams elsewhere in the territory, making it impossible to assess needs elsewhere in the territory.
Given the volatility of the situation and the scale of the fighting, MSF calls on all parties to the conflict to continue to guarantee the safety of patients, teams and refugees in health and humanitarian facilities.
“The safety of the population inside the hospital cannot be guaranteed if the warring parties do not respect their obligations under international humanitarian law," said Dr. Lucien Kandundao, chief medical officer from the Ministry of health in the Masisi health zone. “Fortunately, this respect has been guaranteed so far, and we are working at our level to ensure that the hospital's neutrality is also fully respected and that there are no armed or uniformed persons inside the hospital.”
MSF teams have been supporting the Ministry of Health in Masisi since 2007. MSF currently supports the General Referral Hospital, the Nyabiondo Referral Health Center, and several outlying health centers.
MSF denounces violent attacks leading to suspension of activities at key Khartoum hospital
Newborns and other patients at risk as Nasser hospital has run out of fuel, MSF warns
