GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo — Mental health services in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are being overwhelmed as years of relentless conflict trigger a sharp rise in psychological distress among civilians, exposing a critical gap between urgent need and limited care in one of Central Africa’s most fragile regions.
In Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, health workers report a dramatic surge in patients seeking psychological support. A local neuropsychiatric centre has recorded an increase in new cases from fewer than 250 per month to nearly 700 since February 2025, reflecting the intensification of violence linked to armed groups, including M23 rebels and Islamist insurgencies.
Health professionals say most patients present symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and severe anxiety, often after experiencing displacement, sexual violence, or the loss of family members.
“People arrive completely broken,” a local psychologist in Goma told humanitarian partners. “But we simply do not have the capacity to treat everyone who needs help.”
A System Stretched Beyond Its Limits
The DRC’s mental health infrastructure remains extremely weak. With only a small number of trained mental health professionals nationwide — most of them based in the capital, Kinshasa — access to care in conflict-affected eastern provinces is severely limited. Clinics lack trained staff, medication, and sustainable funding, leaving many patients untreated or forced to pay out of pocket.
International organisations such as Doctors Without Borders (MSF) and War Child have stepped in to provide emergency psychosocial support, particularly for children affected by violence. Their programmes include counselling, group therapy, and play-based interventions designed to help young survivors process trauma.
However, humanitarian groups warn that demand far exceeds capacity.
“The level of suffering is immense, and the resources available are nowhere near enough,” MSF has repeatedly cautioned, noting that many patients are turned away due to limited space and funding.
Cultural Taboos Deepen the Crisis
Beyond structural shortages, cultural stigma surrounding mental health continues to hinder care. In many communities, psychological distress is still seen as a taboo subject, discouraging people from seeking help. Western mental health models also often fail to align with local realities, creating barriers to effective treatment.
Experts argue that culturally sensitive, community-based approaches are essential if mental health interventions are to succeed in eastern DRC. Local NGOs and psychologists are attempting to adapt care models, but they remain overstretched and under-resourced.
Searching for Sustainable Solutions
Recent pilot efforts to integrate mental health services into primary healthcare settings have shown promise, offering a potential path toward broader access even in unstable areas. Advocates say such integration could help normalize mental health care and reduce stigma, but implementation remains difficult amid ongoing insecurity.
As conflict continues to displace communities across eastern DRC, aid workers warn that the mental health crisis will deepen unless urgent, long-term investment is made.
For many survivors, the trauma of violence does not end when the fighting stops — it lingers silently, in places where help is scarce and hope is fragile.
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