Description of the disaster

On 7 September 2021, the National Minister of Public Health declared a meningitis outbreak in the health zone of Banalia, Tshopo. province of The democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The last emergence of meningitis outbreak in DRC dates back to November 2009 with 214 cases and 18 deaths (a fatality rate of 8%) in the town of Kisangani, still in Tshopo province. This situation, which putputs additional pressure on the DRC's health system already weakened by multiple epidemics, the most current of which are Ebola virus disease (EVD), cholera, measles and COVID-19 pandemic, required rapid involvement of the DRC RC volunteers in Tshopo to slow down the spread of meningitis within communities and mitigate its impact.