“People in eastern Congo have had no peace for years – first hunger, war, and displacement, and now Ebola as an added crisis,” warns Ursula Langkamp, Country Director of WHH in the DRC. “Many people are already struggling just to survive day to day. They don’t know how to feed their families, and there are hardly any health centers left. Due to the ongoing fighting, it is difficult for assistance to reach the villages. The dangerous Ebola outbreak is further escalating the situation,” says Langkamp.
In addition, cuts to international aid funds and rising transportation costs are exacerbating the situation. According to WHH teams on the ground, there are now conflict zones in eastern DRC where humanitarian assistance is no longer reaching people, even though it is urgently needed. The consequences of the war in Iran are also hitting the region hard. “When aid funds are cut at the same time that food and transportation prices are skyrocketing and borders are being closed, the lives of an increasing number of people are put at risk,” Langkamp emphasizes.
