The population of the zone have suffered massively during the civil war. Different warring factions have controlled it at different times and much of the population has either been displaced internally within the zone or has fled altogether.

MSF has started a new project in Walikale, some 150 kilometres east of Goma in the North Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Since October 15, a start-up team of three expats and two national staff have been setting up a project to support the hospital and one health centre in the town.

Plans are to possibly extend that support to other parts of the Walikale health zone, which is the largest in the province: 20,000 square kilometres.

The current estimated population for the zone is 98,596, plus a sizable amount of internally displaced persons (IDPs), of whom the exact number and locations are as yet unclear to the team. The population of the zone have suffered massively during the civil war. Different warring factions have controlled it at different times and much of the population has either been displaced internally within the zone or has fled altogether.

So far, the teams has not noticed security problems. Successive lootings have left the Walikale hospital with very little equipment. The team found it in a very filthy state. The hospital has a theoretical capacity of 100 beds but the team only found 41 beds that could be used. So far 12 workers, employed by the hospital, have started cleaning the wards under supervision of the MSF team.

Also an improvised lighting system with paraffin lamps has been installed in the wards. When the hospital is sufficiently cleaned, the team will start supplying drugs and medical supplies. They will also supervise and train the medical and other staff.