Prevention of COVID-19 in Internally Displaced Persons Camps in War-Torn North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo: A Mixed-Methods Study

Abstract Background Diarrhea and acute respiratory infections (ARI) account for 30% of deaths among children displaced due to humanitarian emergencies. A wealth of evidence demonstrates that handwashing with soap prevents both diarrhea and ARI. While socially- and emotionally-driven factors are proven motivators to handwashing in non-emergency situations, little is known about determinants of handwashing behavior in emergency settings. Methods We conducted a qualitative investigation from June to August 2015 in a camp for internally displaced persons with a population of 6360 in the war-torn eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo. We held key informant interviews with 9 non-governmental organizations and camp officials, in-depth interviews and rating exercises with 18 mothers of children < 5 years, and discussions with 4 groups of camp residents and hygiene promoters to identify motivators and barriers to handwashing. Results At the time of the study, hygiene promotion activities lacked adequate resources, cultural acceptability, innovation, and adaptation for sustained behavioral change. Lack of ongoing provision of hygiene materials was a major barrier to handwashing behavior. When hygiene materials were available, camp residents reported that the primary motivator to handwashing was to prevent illness, particularly diarrheal disease, with many mentioning an increased need to wash hands during diarrhea outbreaks. Emotionally- and socially-related motivators such as “maintaining a good image” and social pressure to follow recommended camp hygiene practices were also reported to motivate handwashing with soap. Residents who engaged in day labor outside the camp had limited exposure to hygiene messages and handwashing facilities. Interviewees indicated that the harsh living conditions forced residents to prioritize obtaining basic survival needs over good hygiene. Conclusions Hygiene promotion in camp settings must involve preparedness of adequate resources and supplies and ongoing provision of hygiene materials so that vulnerable populations affected by emergencies can apply good hygiene behaviors for the duration of the camp’s existence. Compared to non-emergency contexts, illness-based messages may be more effective in emergency settings where disease poses a current and ongoing threat. However, failure to use emotive and social drivers that motivate handwashing may present missed opportunities to improve handwashing in camps.

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Competition for resources to escalate violence in DRC

Emerald Expert Briefings ◽

10.1108/oxan-db213503 ◽

2016 ◽

Keyword(s):

Democratic Republic ◽

Political Crisis ◽

Content Type ◽

Internally Displaced ◽

The North ◽

Un Peacekeeping ◽

Republic Of The Congo ◽

South Kivu ◽

North Kivu ◽

Competition For Resources

Subject Eastern DRC violence outlook. Significance By late August, nearly 192,000 people were internally displaced in the North Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). High levels of violence and attacks on civilians are in part driving these displacements. As the DRC heads towards a political crisis, opportunities to leverage violence in pursuit of political gains raises the risk of greater unrest in the east of the country. Impacts Divisions in the FDLR raises the risk of Rwandan intervention in the DRC. The presence of Burundian rebels in South Kivu could regionalise the DRC's instability. The UN peacekeeping mission will struggle to manage smaller, more fragmented groups and will appear unfit for purpose.

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A Violent Peace

Cornell Internation Affairs Review ◽

10.37513/ciar.v2i1.343 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

pp. 50-56

Author(s):

Alexandra Taylor

Keyword(s):

Democratic Republic ◽

Internally Displaced Persons ◽

Armed Groups ◽

National Elections ◽

Military Conflict ◽

Internally Displaced ◽

The Past ◽

Rebel Groups ◽

Republic Of The Congo ◽

The Government

Since 2003, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has enjoyed only a tenuous peace. For the past decade, a period spanning two official wars and years of continued violence, the only constant division has been between those who have guns and those who do not. The transitional government, established in 2003, brought the main rebel groups from the Second Congo War into the government, a move to stabilize the intertwined political and military conflict. However, a constantly shifting web of armed groups continues to operate in the DRC, particularly in the northeast. The alliances sometimes cross borders. In this very fluid conflict, identifying the aggressor, the allegiance of certain fighters, or the location of a group of refugees or internally displaced persons fleeing conflict can change almost monthly. Despite five years since “peace,” national elections, and the presence of the most expensive current United Nations peacekeeping operation, the DRC remains destabilized and has seen no drastic improvement.

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Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons: Challenges Confronting the International Community

PsycEXTRA Dataset ◽

10.1037/e519822011-002 ◽

1998 ◽

Author(s):

Ellen Frey-Wouters

Keyword(s):

International Community ◽

Internally Displaced Persons ◽

Displaced Persons ◽

Internally Displaced

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