DRC: Lives of 25,000 displaced persons at risk in Tché due to lack of access

Despite the tremendous efforts made by humanitarians to tackle the cholera epidemic that broke out in camps for the displaced towards the end of March, the situation is likely to worsen in the Tché camp, where the lives of about 25,000 people is at risk, due to lack of access by aid workers for more than a week.
Tché is situated about 61 km Northeast of Bunia where there have been sustained militia operations particularly along the Iga Barrière - Katoto route where both UN peacekeepers and Congolese troops have been making efforts to forcefully disarm militiamen still wreaking havoc on innocent civilians in Djugu Territory.

"In addition to the cholera epidemic, which is likely to get out of hand in the absence of a continuous follow-up in Tché, the IDPs will soon run out of food, water and medical supplies making their situation even more complex in the face of an already volatile humanitarian situation," explained Dr. Modibo Traoré, the Head of the OCHA Field Office in Bunia. Tché had recorded 165 cases of cholera with 4 deaths before the area became inaccessible.

The disease in still active in other camps like Tchomia and Kafé where an average of about 20 people are affected by the disease every day. Since the outbreak of the disease on March 26, a total of 1,420 people have been affected by the epidemic and it has claimed the lives of 29 people including 3 Congolese soldiers deployed to secure the IDP camp in Kafé. "Due to the present volatile security situation North of Bunia, on-going MONUC military operations to disarm recalcitrant militia groups and threats issued by militia groups to expatriates, NGOs are strongly advised to avoid the said axis until further notice," Dr. Traoré stressed. According to Dr. Traoré, MONUC has expressed its willingness to put in place a mechanism that would give humanitarians a safe passage to and from operational areas. Although the situation is critical, the commitment of humanitarian workers has so far afforded control of the epidemic. However, this control is extremely fragile and without concerted and coordinated efforts, the crisis will intensify.