The first outbreaks of cholera were reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the 70s. It is a bacterial infection that spreads through contaminated water and food.
It remains a recurring challenge in parts of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where limited access to clean water and sanitation continues to put vulnerable communities at risk in regions affected by ongoing conflict.
Patients are treated in dedicated cholera treatment centers, and further spread is contained through isolation, chlorine disinfection, and community education.
The key to cholera prevention is clean water. Nonprofit organizations set up projects in the region focusing on water sanitation and community education to decrease the spread of the disease.
Kishusha was a refugee camp in North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
It sheltered people fleeing from violence of armed groups and the national army after their homes along with entire villages were burned down.
This report was completed in 2014 in the midst of a cholera outbreak.
There were over 16,000 refugees living in the camp at that time.
In 2016, Kishsuha camp was forcefully evicted by the Congolese authorities.
