MSF suspends its work in eastern DRC after kidnapping a staff member by armed men



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IThe international aid agency Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has suspended work in an area of ​​the Democratic Republic of Congo near the place where the authorities are fighting the outbreak of the disease. Ebola, after the kidnapping of two local staff members by gunmen.

Although staff members were returned safely in a matter of hours, the organization announced Sunday that she had suspended all non-essential work in the health zone of Masisi, North Kivu province. , For safety reasons.

MSF has been working since 2007 in Masisi, about 100 kilometers from the provincial capital of North Kivu. The region is in one of the most volatile regions of the DRC. It is at the center of a conflict fueled by ethnic rivalries and two decades.

"For the sake of the safety of his teams, [MSF] MSF spokesperson Francine Kongolo told AFP that her staff would continue to provide emergency care at the Masisi main hospital.

"This measure comes after the kidnapping, on February 8, of two local MSF agents by unidentified gunmen," she added.

All other MSF activities, including its Ebola control activities, in the vast province of North Kivu will continue as usual.

According to the latest figures from the World Health Organization, there have been 789 cases of Ebola in the DRC and 488 deaths since the announcement of the outbreak last August.

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