As conflict escalates in eastern Congo, thousands of rape survivors have been left without life-saving medical care following the abrupt cancellation of a major U.S.-funded health program. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), under the Trump administration, terminated a crucial contract for the supply of post-rape emergency kits, which had been destined for over 2,000 health centres across the war-torn region.
The kits, containing HIV prevention drugs, antibiotics for sexually transmitted infections, and emergency contraception, are vital for survivors of sexual violence an endemic weapon of war in Congo’s decades-long conflict. According to the United Nations and aid organisations, only 13% of those seeking help now receive medication within the critical 72-hour window needed to prevent HIV infection.
The contract cancellation came amid Trump’s 90-day pause on foreign aid and his administration’s broader initiative to reduce U.S. global aid contributions. The decision has not only halted the delivery of approximately 100,000 kits but also disrupted an already fragile healthcare supply chain.
Rwanda-backed M23 rebels have intensified conflict in the east since January, with over 67,000 cases of rape officially recorded figures likely underrepresenting the true scale. Healthcare workers on the ground describe the emotional trauma of turning away survivors due to lack of supplies. “You never forget standing in front of that person and telling them that you don’t have any medicine,” one worker said.
UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund) and partners like CARE International are scrambling to raise $35 million to fill the funding void, appealing to foundations like the Gates Foundation and other Western donors. Only seven out of 34 health zones in North Kivu now have any supply of the kits left.
The U.S. State Department has not commented on the cancellation despite repeated inquiries. While the Trump administration maintains that foreign aid spending was excessive, the real cost is now measured in lives lost, increased HIV infections, and preventable maternal deaths in one of the world’s most vulnerable regions.
The absence of these kits leaves thousands of women without hope and essential medical care in a time of urgent need.
