Democratic Republic of Congo: Fortuitous Meeting Leads to Vital Maternal Care
Maternal Health crisis Grips Eastern Congo Amid Conflict
Table of Contents
- Maternal Health crisis Grips Eastern Congo Amid Conflict
- Maternal health Crisis in Eastern Congo: Your Questions Answered
- What’s happening with maternal health in the Eastern democratic Republic of Congo?
- What challenges do pregnant women face in this region?
- What are the consequences of thes challenges?
- How does conflict impact maternal health?
- How is the UNFPA helping?
- What services does the UNFPA offer?
- What is the role of community agents?
- What critical health issues are women facing?
- Why is funding so critically important?
- How can the situation for pregnant women in Eastern congo be improved?
- What is the current funding shortfall and how can people help?
NORTH KIVU PROVINCE, Democratic Republic of Congo (AP) — Chance Azina, seven months pregnant, trudges through the heat, embodying the struggle too maintain normalcy amid relentless violence in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
Unbeknownst to Azina,her pregnancy adn impending delivery teetered on the brink of disaster,lacking essential medical intervention.
A Chance Encounter, a Lifeline Found
A twist of fate occurred when Azina encountered Amani, a community worker affiliated with the Kyeshero Christian Centre for the Light hospital. amani was informing locals about available reproductive health services.
“When he asked me if I had a headache and leg pain, I was afraid. It was exactly what I felt,” Azina told the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), which supports the hospital.
Promptly,Azina sought examination at the hospital,receiving free care from UNFPA-trained midwives. “She suffered from a violent headache and leg pain, but had never received a medical consultation since the start of her pregnancy,” said Justine, a midwife. “We instantly did exams to eliminate the risk of pre-eclampsia.”
Displacement and desperation
Prenatal care remains a distant dream for many, as violence has displaced hundreds of thousands. In December 2024, the Kanihi attack forced Azina and her four children to walk over 55 miles to the Bulengo displacement camp.
After the dismantling of several displacement sites in February by opposition forces, azina’s family was expelled, joining thousands in another camp.A foster family in Keshero offered them shelter. With her husband missing for months, Azina navigates her pregnancy alone.
Reproductive Health Services Overwhelmed
In eastern congo,access to reproductive health services was limited even before the latest surge in conflict. The nation already faces one of the highest maternal mortality rates globally. In North and South Kivu, only three hospitals remain operational, stretched thin with shortages of supplies, staff, electricity, and ambulance fuel, forcing many women to deliver at home without assistance.
North and South kivu,there are now only three operational hospitals,but all are overwhelmed
Studies indicate that fewer than half of pregnant women attend the recommended four prenatal appointments,often starting too late to prevent complications. Knowledge of critical warning signs like anemia, hypertension, and severe headaches remains limited.
Before her encounter with Amani, Azina was unaware of the life-threatening potential of her symptoms.
“Many women think that once part of the camps, they can no longer receive aid,” explained Dr. Solange N. Ngane, who works with UNFPA in North Kivu.”Our community agents play an essential role in raising awareness among the most vulnerable women and giving them advice.”
The UNFPA’s community-based approach identifies, informs, and directs pregnant women to partner health facilities for prenatal care, family planning, and treatment for sexual violence survivors, integrating marginalized women into the health system.
UNFPA Response and Funding Shortfall
Since February 2025, the UNFPA has deployed 120 midwives and 360 community agents in Goma to provide continuous services and reduce maternal and neonatal deaths.
azina’s ongoing care has made her aware of the risks and resources available in emergencies.”I thought I was going to have to give birth on my own, like the previous times,” she said. “I did not know that one could still have help; it was the young man I met in the street who saved my life.”
Azina’s story underscores how simple information can save lives amid conflict. The UNFPA continues to raise awareness,provide reproductive health kits,strengthen emergency obstetric care,and support gender-based violence survivors.
While the United States has significantly supported these programs, recent funding cuts threaten services for an estimated 11 million people, including over 3 million in North Kivu. Partners are being forced to scale back operations in what is already one of the world’s most underfunded crises. Mobile health clinics have been suspended in several regions due to insecurity, and record levels of famine exacerbate risks for pregnant women and new mothers.
The UNFPA is appealing for $18 million in donations between February and August 2025 to sustain its vital interventions and protect vulnerable populations in North and South Kivu.
Maternal health Crisis in Eastern Congo: Your Questions Answered
What’s happening with maternal health in the Eastern democratic Republic of Congo?
The Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo is facing a severe maternal health crisis, largely due to ongoing conflict and displacement. Women, like Chance Azina, are struggling to access essential medical care, putting both their lives and the lives of their babies at risk.
What challenges do pregnant women face in this region?
Pregnant women in the Eastern Congo are facing several critical challenges:
- Limited Access to Healthcare: Conflict has disrupted healthcare services. Only three hospitals remain operational in North and South Kivu, and they are overwhelmed.
- Displacement: Violence forces many women to flee their homes, disrupting prenatal care and creating challenging living conditions in displacement camps.
- Lack of Prenatal Care: Fewer than half of pregnant women attend the recommended prenatal appointments.
- Shortages: Hospitals face shortages of supplies, staff, electricity, and ambulance fuel.
- Limited Knowledge: Women often lack awareness of critical warning signs during pregnancy.
What are the consequences of thes challenges?
The consequences are dire, including:
- High Maternal Mortality Rates: the DRC already has one of the highest maternal mortality rates globally.
- Home Births Without Assistance: Many women are forced to deliver at home without skilled medical assistance.
- Life-Threatening Complications: Lack of medical intervention increases the risk of complications like pre-eclampsia, anemia, and other serious conditions.
How does conflict impact maternal health?
Conflict exacerbates the maternal health crisis in several ways:
- Displacement: Forces women to abandon their homes and seek refuge, disrupting access to healthcare and support systems.
- Damage to Infrastructure: Destroys hospitals, clinics, and transportation networks, further limiting access to care.
- Increased Risk of Violence: Conflicts can lead to gender-based violence, which further harms women’s health.
- Limited Resources: Conflict diverts resources away from healthcare, leading to shortages of supplies, staff, and funding.
How is the UNFPA helping?
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is working to address the crisis through several initiatives:
- Community Outreach: Community agents identify and inform pregnant women about available services.
- Prenatal Care support: Directing and providing care at partner health facilities.
- Midwife Deployment: Deploying midwives to provide continuous services and reduce maternal deaths.
- Reproductive Health Kits: Providing essential supplies.
- Emergency Obstetric Care: Strengthening emergency obstetric care.
- Support for Survivors: Supporting gender-based violence survivors.
What services does the UNFPA offer?
The UNFPA offers a range of services:
- Prenatal care
- Family planning
- Treatment for sexual violence survivors
- Awareness campaigns
- Reproductive health kits
- Emergency obstetric care
What is the role of community agents?
Community agents play a crucial role by:
- Raising awareness among vulnerable women.
- Providing advice and facts about available services.
- Identifying pregnant women in need.
- Directing women to health facilities.
What critical health issues are women facing?
Some of the critical health issues include:
- pre-eclampsia, indicated by severe headaches and leg pain
- Anemia
- Hypertension
Why is funding so critically important?
Funding is essential to sustain and expand vital interventions:
- Maintaining Services: Ensures the continuation of prenatal care, emergency obstetric care, and support for survivors.
- Reaching Vulnerable Populations: Allows programs to reach the most vulnerable women and communities, including those in displacement camps.
- Addressing Shortages: Helps to provide essential supplies, staff, and resources to overburdened healthcare facilities.
How can the situation for pregnant women in Eastern congo be improved?
Improving maternal health in Eastern Congo requires a multi-faceted approach:
- Increased Funding: Lasting funding for UNFPA and other organizations providing essential services.
- Enhanced Security: Establishing a safe and secure surroundings to ensure women can access healthcare services without fear.
- Expanded Healthcare Access: Increasing the number of operational hospitals and clinics, and ensuring they are adequately staffed and supplied.
- Community Engagement: Raising awareness about the importance of prenatal care and addressing cultural barriers to seeking medical attention.
What is the current funding shortfall and how can people help?
The UNFPA is appealing for $18 million in donations between February and August 2025 to sustain its vital interventions and protect vulnerable populations. You can help by donating to reputable humanitarian organizations working in the region.