The ICRC has treated more than 600 wounded and injured people since the start of January, of which around half were civilians. A large number of these civilians were women and children.
In spite of the intense fighting and continual bombardment, ICRC surgical teams are still managing to care for the dozens of people who continue to converge on their facilities.
“Some of the wounded are transported by motorbike, others by bus, or with the help of volunteers from the DRC Red Cross. Civilians are arriving with serious bullet and shrapnel wounds,” said Myriam Favier, head of the ICRC’s subdelegation in Goma. “The whole hospital has been mobilized and three surgical teams are working around the clock to treat patients, some of whom have been forced to wait lying on the floor because of the lack of space.”
This situation has been caused by the use of artillery in densely populated areas – in particular, in large urban areas like Goma or in camps for displaced people – and by the devasting impact of intense clashes on the civilians caught in the crossfire. The latest serious incident has reportedly cost the lives of dozens of civilians who had sought refuge in the Rusayo camp, despite it being protected under international humanitarian law.
“The parties to the conflict must abide by international humanitarian law, taking care always to spare civilians and their property. They must also take every possible measure to minimize the humanitarian consequences of their military operations,” said François Moreillon, head of the ICRC’s delegation in the DRC.
“We are getting a large number of calls from injured and wounded people who feel lost and abandoned. Humanitarian workers must have safe access to meet people’s most urgent needs, such as food, health care, electricity and safe drinking water,” he added.
Several incidents that endanger medical staff and patients have also come to the organization’s attention. The ICRC urges all parties to the conflict to respect and protect health‑care workers and facilities, and to facilitate the movements of ambulances and wounded people who are trying to get to hospitals in Goma.
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