In eastern Congo, pregnant women face mounting dangers as conflict and the suspension of free maternity care leave many without access to safe deliveries. Irene Nabudeba, expecting her next child in Goma, now controlled by the M23 rebel group, worries about paying for hospital care in a city where essential services and medical supplies have been disrupted. Until June, the Congolese government provided free maternity services, a lifeline for thousands of women. But the program was discontinued, and health workers say it has reversed years of progress. At Afia Himbi Health Center, deliveries dropped from 20 per month during the free-care program to just eight. “Many women are now giving birth at home because they cannot afford hospital fees,” said nurse Franck Ndachetere Kandonyi.
The M23 rebel group, which controls parts of North and South Kivu, has said the free-care initiative “was not renewed because it was a failure,” though Congolese officials have not publicly explained the termination. The humanitarian crisis has deepened since the M23 seized Goma and Bukavu earlier this year. Intense fighting between government forces and Rwanda-backed groups has displaced more than 700,000 people, destroyed infrastructure, and left hospitals without reliable water and electricity.
Expectant mothers like Ernestine Baleke, three months from delivery, fear for their safety and the rising costs of childbirth. Aid agencies warn that maternal deaths often spike in conflict zones where hospitals are inaccessible, and emergency obstetric services are limited. For Nabudeba, the choice is stark: give birth at home under unsafe conditions or risk traveling to a hospital she may not afford. “When I go into labor, I wonder where I will find the money,” she said. The collapse of free maternal care and ongoing conflict has made pregnancy a matter of survival in eastern Congo.
Key Facts Added/Highlighted:
- M23 controls Goma and Bukavu, escalating the regional conflict.
- Over 700,000 people displaced since January 2025 due to fighting.
- Health facilities lack running water and essential medical supplies.
- Maternal mortality risks increase significantly in conflict zones.
