The crisis is exacerbating mental health needs
People living in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo have been enduring a humanitarian crisis for years, with direct consequences for their mental health. Extreme violence, abuses committed by armed groups, repeated forced displacement, the loss of loved ones, and precarious living conditions – all these factors cause very high levels of stress and anxiety and can lead to severe psychological distress.
“The people we support have endured extreme hardships. One of my patients had to move four times in the space of a single year; every village where she found refuge was attacked one after the other,” explains Pierrette Mwanza Sivyatsomana, a psychologist with HI.
A study conducted by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) found that the number of mental health and psychosocial support consultations increased sevenfold between 2024 and 20251 for survivors of armed attacks and gender-based and sexual violence.
However, access to healthcare services is extremely difficult. The DRC has just 0.01 psychologists per 100,000 inhabitants2, a situation further exacerbated by the conflict in North Kivu. Many health centres have been abandoned following violent clashes; others remain open but lack medicines, equipment and staff to adequately meet patients’ needs. For many people, accessing care is impossible due to the long distances involved, prohibitive costs or the insecurity on the roads.
“The security situation remains extremely volatile. There have been instances where gunfire and fighting broke out just a few kilometres from the areas where our teams were working,” says Doudou Mulamba, project manager.
Supporting every individual
HI’s teams of psychologists are working in two health zones: Kahe and Kizimba. There, they provide mental health care and psychosocial support to displaced people and host communities. Some care is provided in groups, which helps to create a sense of sharing and mutual support among patients who support one another. For others who require special attention, care is provided on an individual basis.
HI teams also refer patients to healthcare partners who provide them with medical follow-up. Furthermore, awareness-raising activities are organised within communities to teach people how to recognise certain symptoms of distress and to encourage those in need to consult specialists.
“Mental health should no longer be a taboo subject. It affects every one of us, and together we can find solutions. It gives me great joy when a patient, after having reached a state of genuine distress, manages to smile again and sleep soundly,” says Pierrette Mwanza Sivyatsomana.
HI’s activities are carried out in partnership with the NGO Première Urgence Internationale, which provides primary healthcare and nutrition support. HI’s teams also offer rehabilitation support to patients. In just over a year, more than 1,000 people have received psychosocial care and nearly 450 awareness-raising sessions have been organised within the communities.
“I was given a radio which helps me relax and reduce my stress. It is thanks to the psychosocial support that I have managed to cope with the difficulties I was facing in my life. I would like to thank the psychologists who helped lift a weight off my shoulders,” says a patient.
1. Web Relief June 2025
2. DRC Response Plan 2026
