General News

Africa-CDC head urges end to DRC conflict, warns of health crisis

Date: Feb 3, 2025

The Director General of the African Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa-CDC), Jean Kaseya, has passionately pleaded with all African leaders involved in the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to end the war.

He calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities, urging leaders to prioritise dialogue and peace over continued conflict.

Speaking to SABC International News Editor Sophie Mokoena, Kaseya says this latest conflict has displaced some patients, which could lead to infectious diseases.

Kaseya says the healthcare sector is mostly affected by infrastructure being destroyed and this is a ticking time bomb and this could lead to the outbreak of diseases.

The Africa-CDC head warns that the displacement of civilians in DRC is increasing the risk of infectious disease outbreaks, including cholera, measles, and Ebola, due to poor access to clean water, sanitation, and medical care. This poses significant health threats that could lead to regional or global crises.

He stresses the serious impact of the war on the health sector, pointing out that infrastructure has been destroyed, medical facilities are not functioning and health workers are fleeing due to insecurity.

--SABC--

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