Ambulance vital donation boosts emergency care in north kivu hospital

A critical lifeline has reached the Hôpital Général de Référence d’Oicha in North Kivu: a fully equipped medical ambulance was officially handed over to the maternity and obstetrics department. The donation aims to facilitate rapid, cost-free transfers of emergency patients to appropriate care facilities in the region.

Pregnant women with complications, survivors of sexual violence, critically injured war victims, and children in need of urgent medical attention stand to benefit most from this initiative. Previously, the absence of specialized transport turned patient transfers into dangerous, often fatal ordeals.

This vital contribution aligns with the national initiative known as « zéro franc à la caisse », funded through the National Fund for Reparations of Victims of Sexual Violence Tied to Conflict and Other Crimes Against Peace and Humanity (FONAREV).

Dr. Kaseraka Nzala Essaie, acting medical director of the hospital, expressed deep appreciation for the support from UNFPA, which champions safe pregnancies and childbirth worldwide. He emphasized the ambulance’s dual significance:

In an area plagued by relentless attacks, this ambulance isn’t just a vehicle—it’s a lifeline. Every second saved here can mean the difference between life and death.

In addition to the ambulance, rehabilitation work is underway in the hospital’s delivery ward. With 89 beds and an average of 350 monthly deliveries, the facility faces immense pressure under growing demographic demands.

Beyond transport: comprehensive care for survivors

During the visit, the UNFPA representative toured the Centre Intégré de Services Multisectoriels (CISM) located within the hospital. This center delivers holistic care to survivors of sexual violence and gender-based abuse, offering medical, psychosocial, legal, and reintegration support through dedicated service counters.

Beneficiaries shared moving accounts of their experiences, highlighting how these integrated services have been instrumental in their physical and emotional recovery journeys.

Oicha: at the heart of a humanitarian and health crisis

In the Beni territory, the security situation continues to deteriorate sharply. Repeated attacks by the non-state armed group ADF have displaced thousands of families, swelling the populations of Oicha and Beni by over 40%. The influx includes extremely vulnerable internally displaced persons.

This security crisis is compounded by widespread human rights violations and sexual violence linked to conflict, alongside the ongoing 17th outbreak of the Ebola virus disease (Bundibugyo strain).

United Nations partnership for dignity and healing

Funded by FONAREV under a United Nations Joint Programme, this support is part of the Emergency Provisional Measures (MPU). UNFPA leads the UN cluster in this initiative, collaborating with local partners including PPSSP, Heal Africa, and TPO in North and South Kivu. The goal: to provide comprehensive assistance and reparations to survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and grave crimes.