Crisis in Goma: Hospitals Struggle Amid Conflict

Goma hospitals in eastern Congo are overwhelmed with wounded people as fighting between government forces and Rwanda-backed rebels intensifies. The conflict, rooted in ethnic tensions, has resulted in over 700 deaths and nearly 3,000 injuries. Hospitals face shortages and risks of disease outbreaks as supply chains are disrupted.

A humanitarian crisis is unfolding in eastern Congo as hospitals in Goma struggle to cope with an influx of wounded patients amid ongoing conflict. Fighting between government forces and Rwanda-backed M23 rebels, who claim to have captured the city, has left hospitals in dire straits, swamped with injured civilians.

With over 700 killed and nearly 3,000 wounded since the offensive began in January, hospitals like Bethesda are operating beyond their limits. Medical staff face shortages of supplies and personnel, forcing patients to share beds or lie on the floor, awaiting treatment.

The conflict, deeply rooted in ethnic tensions, poses further risks as supply chains are severed, causing medical stock shortages. The situation has disrupted the delivery of aid, while fears of disease outbreaks loom large due to overcrowded morgues and existing health crises in the region.