Reaching Displaced People with Mobile Medical Clinics in DRC

For several months, the province of North Kivu in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has faced an increase in fighting, resulting in more than 90,000 displaced people crossing into South Kivu province. Today, more than 1 million people are living in camps around the city of Goma in North Kivu.

International Medical Corps staff carried tents and medicine to the area where the mobile medical clinic was being set up in Minova.

Deploying to the Kasunyu health area in Minova health zone was difficult, so International Medical Corps staff and community members had to work together.

Patients wait in the reception area of the mobile medical clinic.

International Medical Corps has been dispatching mobile medical clinics to the Minova health zone in South Kivu, providing thousands of displaced people with basic medical services and education in topics including handwashing.

Patient Cecilia Twavuze waits for her consultation at the Minova mobile medical clinic.

Esperance, one of International Medical Corps’ nurses, explains to a patient how to use his medications.

Patient Theresa Lubungu waits at the mobile medical clinic.

“I have terrible asthma attacks, and with the cold in the huts that we built as displaced people, it started to get worse,” says Juvénal Shukuru, a man who visited our clinic. “Now I have my life saved with this inhaler and other medicines that they gave me in the mobile medical clinic organized by International Medical Corps. I assure you that with what the nurse gave me when she was training me how to use this medication, I already feel better. I am sure I will not die here in Minova, where I took refuge from the war. I am lucky to be able to return home after this war.”

Nurse Esperance helps patient Juvénal Shukuru with his asthma medication.

Dr. Zelote consults with a patient at the Minova mobile medical clinic.

Dr. Bienvenu Mosangu consults with an internally displaced woman during the mobile health clinic.

“I didn’t know that washing hands well can save lives,” says Theresa Lubungu. “For two months now, we have been here in Minova as displaced persons, and cholera has already spread a lot. The International Medical Corps nurse just taught me how to wash my hands better and informed us that it can save my life. I didn’t mind eating without washing, so this is a lesson for me. I also I came to this medical mobile clinic for free treatment.”

Theresa Lubungu washes her hands during the mobile medical clinic. In addition to providing medical consultations, our staff also taught proper handwashing technique to patients like Theresa.

A nurse reads a patient’s blood pressure during a consultation.

Dr. Zelote transfers a patient from the mobile clinic to Minova’s general hospital via ambulance.