The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) faces an escalating humanitarian crisis, with hunger surging in conflict-affected eastern provinces.

A total of 26.5 million people face acute food insecurity, while 7.8 million people are internally displaced, many multiple times. Nearly half of all children under 5 – a total of 3.2 million – are stunted due to chronic malnutrition, with impaired growth and development.

The resurgence of Ebola in eastern DRC is deeply alarming. This is now the fastest-spreading Ebola outbreak on record, with more than 4,000 deaths since the outbreak was declared in mid-May 2026.

It has now spread to eight provinces, placing further pressure on communities already affected by conflict, displacement and severe hunger.

Across Ebola-affected areas, nearly 3.5 million people face Crisis-level hunger or worse, while 97 percent of people directly affected by the outbreak still require food assistance.

Ebola is not only a health crisis. It disrupts markets, livelihoods and people’s movement, making food harder to obtain.

Food assistance helps patients and their families meet immediate needs without having to leave treatment or isolation in search of food.

The World Food Programme (WFP) is working with the Government of DRC, the World Health Organization and other partners to support a coordinated response. In addition to providing food and nutrition assistance, WFP is building Ebola treatment centres and providing the logistics, telecommunications and air services that enable health partners to reach affected communities.

The outbreak compounds a pre-existing humanitarian emergency. Persistent violence in the east continues to force millions of people from their homes and leave them without reliable access to food. Cholera, malaria and mpox outbreaks, along with flooding and landslides that have destroyed crops and critical infrastructure, add to people’s needs.

WFP urgently requires US$214 million for life-saving operations in eastern DRC up to February 2027.

What the World Food Programme is doing to respond to the DRC emergency

Crisis response

WFP provides life-saving food, cash and nutrition assistance to vulnerable families across DRC, including pregnant and breastfeeding women and girls. As part of the Ebola response, WFP has delivered more than 744,000 hot meals in 59 treatment and isolation facilities and distributed over 3,000 metric tons of food to families. Food assistance helps patients and their relatives meet basic needs while reducing pressure to leave treatment or isolation settings in search of food.

How you can help

Please donate today and help life-saving food reach those families who need it the most.
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