The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is experiencing one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world. More than five million people have been displaced, including three million children. Most of these displaced families have sheltered in local communities which are only just managing to meet their own needs. Other displaced persons live in informal camps where living conditions are even harsher.

According to the latest IPC Acute Malnutrition analysis, nearly 900,000 children under five and more than 400,000 pregnant or lactating women are likely to be acutely malnourished through August 2022 in the 70 health zones analysed out of a total of 519 health zones. These estimates include more than 200,000 severely malnourished children requiring urgent care.

This precarious nutritional situation is the result of a combination of several factors, mainly poor feeding practices, acute food insecurity, high prevalence of childhood illnesses (malaria and diarrhoea) and outbreaks of measles and cholera, poor hygiene conditions (inaccessibility to adequate sanitation facilities), very low access to drinking water, and the consequences of the security situation - mainly massive population displacement.

During the peak malnutrition period between September 2021 and March 2022, 42 health zones are in a Serious nutritional situation (IPC Phase 3) and eight in a Critical nutritional situation (IPC Phase 4). Between April and August 2022, a significant deterioration of the nutritional situation will likely be observed, with eight health zones likely moving from a Serious situation to a Critical situation, five zones likely moving from an Alert situation (IPC Phase 2) to a Serious situation, and 34 health zones likely remaining in a Serious situation if adequate measures to alleviate the aggravating factors of malnutrition are not taken.