COVID-19 has reached the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and is spreading rapidly. As of April 23, 377 cases have been confirmed, with 25 deaths – almost a 7% mortality rate. The government ordered a countrywide lockdown in response to COVID-19, but the DRC lacks the resources, infrastructure and perhaps even the will to support its war-beleaguered civilians through this type of quarantine. This grim reality has led Jewish World Watch’s partners on the ground – most notably visionary activist Amani Tom – to proclaim that hunger will kill more Congolese than the deadly virus.
Unless the pressing concerns of Congolese civilians are taken into account and community leaders are empowered to be at the forefront of the response, the DRC’s efforts to combat COVID-19 will fail – much as they did with Ebola. Local leaders, like Amani, are leading the charge against the spread of COVID-19, designing informed and innovative interventions to meet the evolving needs of their communities. These local initiatives need our support to ensure that COVID-19 does not wreak further havoc on a civilian population already grappling with ongoing mass atrocities and poverty.
