DRC: MSF mourns colleague killed in North Kivu violence
It is with great sadness that Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders (MSF) shares the news of the passing of our colleague, Jerry Muhindo Kavali, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
He died on 22 February from a gunshot wound he suffered while at the MSF base in Masisi Town, North Kivu, during clashes between the VDP/Wazalendo and the M23/AFC on 20 February.
On 21 February, we managed to transfer Jerry to Goma for treatment in a hospital better equipped to deal with the seriousness of his injuries and to bring him closer to his family. Unfortunately, the efforts of the hospital team were not enough to save him.
We stand by his family at this difficult time and send our deepest condolences to all his loved ones and colleagues in Masisi.
Aged 49, Jerry was a much-loved colleague. He was known for his constant smile, his dedication, his kindness and his unwavering commitment to MSF. Jerry had been with us since 2014.
The whole MSF family is in mourning today. We also feel anger, as his tragic death comes against a backdrop of increasing violence in and around health and humanitarian facilities in eastern DRC.
We reiterate our strongest condemnation of the lack of respect for humanitarian work. It is this lack of respect that led to Jerry’s death. Sadly, these incidents are becoming more commonplace during this conflict.
To all the warring parties, we remind you once again: even war has rules.
At the time of writing, the MSF base and Masisi Hospital are still full of families who have come here to seek shelter from the fighting, as well as patients who have been treated, many of them women and children who have fallen victim to the violence of the past few days.
On 20 February alone, 11 patients were treated for gunshot wounds at the hospital. All were civilians. Seven of them were women and children.
MSF has been present in the Masisi health zone since 2007. Our teams support Masisi Hospital, as well as healthcare centres in Masisi, Nyabiondo, and several in outlying parts of the area.
MSF and the conflict in DRC
The rapidly evolving conflict between the armed group M23/Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC) and the Congolese army in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has intensified since December 2024, displacing hundreds of thousands of people and resulting in many casualties and violent injuries.
The war has seriously affected the already critical humanitarian and health situation in eastern DRC, where people face the risk of infectious disease outbreaks, sexual violence and inadequate living conditions.
Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders (MSF) teams – already present in DRC – have been responding to the crisis from its first moments.