Democratic Republic of Congo News

Kinshasa – Mpox continues to strain the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s health system. Between 1 January and 31 May 2025, the country reported more than 12 000 suspected cases and 22 deaths, accounting for over 50% of all mpox cases in Africa this year.

In response, World Health Organization (WHO) and the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN) are supporting the country’s efforts to strengthen clinical care, improve detection and build the skills and engagement of frontline responders.  

Kinshasa – Salima, a mother of four, was severely affected by the floods that hit Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in April 2025. She had previously fled violence and insecurity in the country’s eastern provinces to seek refuge in Kinshasa “A few days after I arrived, the rains caught us by surprise. We lost everything. The entire neighbourhood was heavily flooded. People had to flee to seek refuge elsewhere.”   

Goma – In mid-May, 57-year-old Pierre* was admitted to a health centre in the Lubero area after suffering from severe itching on his right hand, followed by pruritus and a swelling of his forearm. He was treated and, given the unusual symptoms, samples were collected and sent for analysis at the laboratory of the Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB) in Goma. 

Kinshasa – Health authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with support from World Health Organization (WHO), are intensifying emergency response efforts to control an outbreak of anthrax in which 16 suspected and one confirmed human cases have been reported in North Kivu Province in the east of the country.  

Businga, Democratic Republic of the Congo – Salomon Kosoma, a fisherman and farmer in the north-west of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is also a community mobilizer with a strong commitment to the prevention and control of Guinea-worm disease also known as dracunculiasis. In his fifties, Salomon decided to be part of the control effort when he realized the harmful health consequences of this neglected tropical disease. "I first heard about this disease during a polio vaccination campaign. That was in 2016," explains Salomon.

Kinshasa – World Health Organization (WHO) is deploying experts to support health authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo carry out further investigations to determine the cause of a yet undiagnosed disease that has been reported in Panzi, a locality in Kwango pro

Kinshasa – Sophie Lipanda, a disease prevention and control veteran in Kinshasa, has dedicated over 10 years working in risk communication and community engagement (RCCE). When the mpox outbreak hit the Democratic Republic of the Congo earlier this year, she immediately joined efforts to inform and protect her community.