DR Congo conflict: 500 mpox patients flee clinics after rebel looting
February 28, 2025
The ongoing conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has severely disrupted mpox containment efforts, with more than 500 patients fleeing clinics over the past month. Africa CDC officials warn that the missing patients pose a serious risk of spreading the highly contagious disease, which claimed an estimated 900 lives in DRC last year. Fighting in Goma and Bukavu has led to looted health facilities, destroyed records, and shortages of critical medical supplies. With a newly detected mpox variant of heightened transmissibility, experts urge an immediate ceasefire and humanitarian corridors to restore outbreak control and protect vulnerable communities.
The escalating conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is fueling a worsening public health crisis, as more than 500 mpox patients have fled treatment centers in Goma and Bukavu over the past month. The ongoing clashes between M23 rebels and government forces have left medical facilities looted, records destroyed, and health workers unable to track missing patients. Africa CDC officials warn that these individuals, now dispersed among displaced communities, pose an imminent risk of amplifying mpox transmission, particularly with a newly identified variant exhibiting greater transmissibility.
With nearly 2,890 confirmed mpox cases and 180 deaths reported in DRC since the start of 2025, the country remains at the epicenter of the outbreak. Healthcare workers describe devastating conditions—patients sharing beds due to overcrowding, essential medicines stolen, and treatment centers rendered inoperable. The closure of displacement camps by M23 has further complicated response efforts, forcing thousands of displaced individuals back into communities with limited healthcare access.
Despite these challenges, efforts to reestablish care are ongoing. Mugunga health center, previously funded by UNICEF and the British government, managed to reopen after staff hid essential medical supplies from looters. However, many other clinics remain shuttered, leaving thousands without access to life-saving treatment.
Africa CDC is calling for an immediate ceasefire and the establishment of humanitarian corridors to facilitate mpox response operations. The agency stresses that without urgent international intervention, the combination of conflict, displacement, and medical system collapse could spark an uncontrollable epidemic with severe regional and global implications. The situation in DRC underscores the need for sustained funding, coordinated disease surveillance, and robust emergency response mechanisms to prevent further loss of life and contain the rapidly evolving outbreak.