Abstract
The area of Walikale in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo, is intensely affected by conflict and population displacement. Médecins-Sans-Frontières (MSF) returned to provide primary healthcare in July 2012. To better understand the impact of the ongoing conflict and displacement on the population, a retrospective mortality survey was conducted in April 2013. A two-stage randomized cluster survey using 31 clusters of 21 households was conducted. Heads of households provided information on their household make-up, ownership of non-food items (NFIs), access to healthcare and information on deaths and occurrence of self-reported disease in the household during the recall period. The recall period was of 325 days (July 2012–April 2013). In total, 173 deaths were reported during the recall period. The crude mortality rate (CMR) was of 1.4/10,000 persons/day (CI95%: 1.2–1.7) and the under-five- mortality rate (U5MR) of 1.9/10,000 persons per day (CI95%: 1.3–2.5). The most frequently reported cause of death was fever/malaria 34.1% (CI95%: 25.4–42.9). Thirteen deaths were due to intentional violence. Over 70% of all households had been displaced at some time during the recall period. Out of households with someone sick in the last two weeks, 63.8% sought health care; the main reason not to seek health care was the lack of money (n = 134, 63.8%, CI95%: 52.2–75.4). Non Food Items (NFI) ownership was low: 69.0% (CI95%: 53.1–79.7) at least one 10 liter jerry can, 30.1% (CI95%: 24.3–36.5) of households with visible soap available and 1.6 bednets per household. The results from this survey in Walikale clearly illustrate the impact that ongoing conflict and displacement are having on the population in this part of DRC. The gravity of their health status was highlighted by a CMR that was well above the emergency threshold of 1 person/10,000/day and an U5MR that approaches the 2 children/10,000/day threshold for the recall period.
Highlights
Since its independence in 1960, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has continued to face a series of internal political and armed struggles [1] which contribute to an on-going humanitarian crisis in several parts of the country
Crude mortality rates (CMRs), which are an indicator of the severity of a humanitarian situation within a population, are considered to be over the threshold when one death per 10,000 population is reported per day [4]
The CMRs measured in the population in different parts of the province between 2002 and 2009 suggest that the acuity of the ongoing insecurity in the province is dynamic in time and geographical area
Summary
Since its independence in 1960, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has continued to face a series of internal political and armed struggles [1] which contribute to an on-going humanitarian crisis in several parts of the country. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), life expectancy at birth in DRC is 49 years and estimates from 2010 determine that the global under-five mortality rate (GU5MR) is 158 deaths per 1000 live births. In 2010, prevalence for fever (as an indicator of malaria) and diarrhoea in children under-five years of age was estimated at 27% and 18% respectively [2]. The province of North Kivu (see Figure 1) in eastern DRC, has been at the centre of conflict, displacement and instability in the country for almost two decades. Between 2002 and 2006 estimated CMRs ranged between 0.97 and 1.2 deaths per 10000 population per day [5][6]. In 2009, CMRs in Kabizo, Masisi and Kitchanga in North Kivu were estimated at 0.2, 0.5 and 0.7 deaths per 10000 population per day respectively [7]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
