Hospitals in Goma Overwhelmed as Fighting with M23 Rebels Intensifies

Hospitals in Goma are struggling to cope as intense fighting between the Congolese military and Rwanda-backed M23 rebels continues to claim hundreds of lives. With medical facilities stretched beyond their limits, doctors warn that dwindling supplies and rising casualties could lead to a humanitarian catastrophe.

At Kyeshero Hospital, beds are filled with patients suffering from severe injuries. Prince Mungazi, a patient with a gunshot wound to the leg, had to be carried by healthcare workers. He recounted his ordeal, saying armed men demanded money before opening fire. “One bullet hit me, another missed,” he said, without specifying which side the soldiers belonged to.

Despite M23 cementing their control over Goma in the past week, the rebel group continues its advance into South Kivu province, nearing its capital, Bukavu. The escalation has disrupted humanitarian efforts in the region, leaving millions at risk. Food and medical supplies are now struggling to reach Goma, compounding the crisis.

Doctor Horace Kashema, overwhelmed by the influx of critical patients, including those requiring amputations, voiced concern over the hospital’s rapidly depleting resources. “We are so overwhelmed,” he admitted, though he expressed cautious optimism as fighting appeared to slow. “But our supplies will run out soon. We don’t have enough.”

M23 remains one of the most powerful of the over 100 armed groups operating in eastern Congo, a region rich in minerals essential to global technology. According to U.N. experts, the rebels are backed by around 4,000 Rwandan troops—significantly more than during their 2012 seizure of Goma, which ended after international pressure forced them out. Analysts warn that pushing them back this time will be far more challenging.

From his hospital bed, Patrick Bagamuhunda, his leg encased in a full-length cast, reflected on witnessing war for the first time. “This war has caused a lot of damage, but at least we are still breathing,” he said. “So many people have died, and we don’t know how far this war will go.”

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