MSF sounds the alarm over looming malaria funding crisis in North Kivu
As the Global Fund’s 2027-2029 grant application window nears closure, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is raising urgent concerns: the Democratic Republic of Congo’s North Kivu province may be excluded from critical malaria funding. With malaria already the leading cause of illness in this conflict-stricken region, losing this support could devastate local health outcomes and deepen humanitarian suffering.
The Global Fund’s GC8 cycle: a high-stakes financial decision
The GC8 represents the next three-year funding cycle (2027-2029) of the Global Fund targeting malaria, HIV and tuberculosis. Grant applications, based on national priorities, close at the end of July. Yet North Kivu — a province ravaged by armed conflict — may no longer qualify for malaria funding despite its extreme vulnerability.
These funds have historically provided life-saving malaria treatments and prevention tools in North Kivu. “For years, the Global Fund has been the lifeline for malaria patients in North Kivu. Without continued support, preventable deaths will rise sharply. It’s unacceptable that people are still dying from a disease we know how to stop,” warns Stéphane Doyon, MSF’s Head of Programs.
The potential exclusion comes at a dire moment. North Kivu’s already fragile health system is struggling under a worsening Ebola outbreak. Worse still, early symptoms of malaria and Ebola overlap, complicating diagnoses and delaying care in overburdened facilities.
Armed conflict fuels malaria surge in North Kivu
“North Kivu remains one of the hardest-hit regions in the DRC’s ongoing conflict. Repeated displacement, food insecurity and restricted access to healthcare have pushed malaria rates to crisis levels,” explains Stéphane Doyon. Civilians fleeing violence often end up in forested or remote areas — ideal mosquito breeding grounds and medical deserts.
In 2025, malaria accounted for 48% to 58% of medical consultations in MSF-supported zones like Bambo, Kibirizi and Rutshuru. That year alone, over 255,000 uncomplicated and 26,000 severe malaria cases were treated in partnership with the Ministry of Health and other agencies. More than 165,560 patients received care in MSF-run facilities.
Malnutrition amplifies malaria’s deadly toll
Chronic malnutrition, widespread in MSF facilities, worsens malaria outcomes — especially for children under five. Combined with malaria, it dramatically increases the risk of severe complications and death.
Prevention and treatment gaps widen under funding cuts
Essential malaria prevention measures have stalled. No insecticide-treated mosquito nets have been distributed in Global Fund-supported areas since June 2023. Between July and December 2025, no malaria tests or treatments reached North Kivu due to logistical hurdles.
To prevent a collapse, MSF has stepped in: funding over 53% of uncomplicated malaria treatments and handling 35% of severe cases in Kibirizi, Bambo and Rutshuru. But such ad hoc support cannot sustain a province the size of North Kivu long-term.
MSF calls for urgent action to restore equitable funding
With the Global Fund’s deadline looming, MSF is urging both the Fund and Kinshasa authorities to immediately reinstate North Kivu in the GC8 funding framework. The organization also calls on the Ministry of Health to allocate resources strictly based on disease burden and civilian vulnerability — not political or logistical convenience.