Surge in Injuries Strains Hospital Capacity Amid Ongoing Violence

Fizi, South Kivu January 23, 2026 - The escalation of armed violence in Fizi territory, South Kivu, since late December 2025, has led to a dramatic rise in gunshot wounds and severely limited access to healthcare. The Fizi General Referral Hospital (HGR), supported by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), is now facing critical overcrowding. According to ICRC reports, the number of wounded patients has quadrupled in just a few weeks. As of January 18, 2026, the hospital was treating 115 wounded patients, far exceeding its official capacity of 25 beds. Medical staff report that many patients arrive too late for timely care, often with infected or complicated injuries, due to delays in treatment at peripheral health centers. “Most of the new patients had infected wounds from lack of adequate care. Many were unable to receive proper stabilization in the local facilities they passed through,” explained one hospital physician. To respond to the crisis, the ICRC established additional tents to expand treatment capacity and deployed an emergency surgical team on January 10, 2026 to support local staff. The ICRC highlights that these late arrivals reflect the collapse of frontline healthcare facilities near the conflict zones. Persistent insecurity, looting, shortages of medicines, and the departure of medical personnel have left several health centers paralyzed, leaving civilians and combatants alike without access to timely care. The situation in Fizi underscores the humanitarian toll of the ongoing conflict in South Kivu and the urgent need for support to restore healthcare services for affected populations.