Worrying humanitarian situation in Waka, Djefera - UN says

The humanitarian arm of the UN Mission to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has urged relief organisations to intervene quickly in aid of residents of Waka and Djefera in the northwestern province of Equateur. The appeal followed a recent assessment mission to the two towns. In Waka, controlled by the Mouvement de liberation du Congo, the former Ugandan-backed rebel group that reached a peace agreement with the Kinshasa government in April, a dilapidated road network prevents residents from reaching the market town of Basankusu, 85 km to the north. Health services in Waka "no longer exist", and people had to rely on traditional medicine "with all the risks that entails", the UN mission, known by its French acronym, MONUC, reported. In addition to a high rate of infant mortality, it said, children were dying from tuberculosis, meningitis, and malnutrition. The situation was "no better" in nearby Djefera, controlled by the DRC government, where roads were "impassable", necessitating about three days to reach the nearest market town of Befale, 73 km to the east, MONUC reported. The town also suffered from "inadequate health care and a high rate of malnutrition among the population". MONUC said the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation had met an international relief NGO, Caritas, to coordinate implementation of projects for agricultural development and food security in the region, while the international health NGO Medecins Sans Frontieres had expressed its intent to provide the region with medical aid.