DRC: Médecins sans Frontières continues to support treatment of victims of fuel tanker explosion

Médecins Sans Frontières continues to support the treatment of burn victims in several hospitals in South Kivu province, after a fuel tanker crashed and exploded in the village of Sange earlier this month. The number of deaths has increased to 269, according to the latest figures of the Congolese Ministry of Health.

Médecins sans Frontières divides its support over three hospitals. In Uvira it supports the treatment of 28 patients with second and third degree burns, in Bukavu’s Panzi hospital eight patients and in the local hospital at Sange there are 16 inpatients being treated with 12 more as outpatients.
    
A further six patients are receiving treatment in Bukavu’s general hospital.
    
In Uvira Médecins sans Frontières provides intensive nursing care, surgery, conducts skin grafting, anaesthesia, support to the laboratory, physiotherapy and is about to set up mental health assistance to the victims of the explosion.
    
Médecins sans Frontières works closely with an Israeli team of burn specialists, consisting of 4 surgeons and a nurse from Tel Aviv’s Sheba medical centre as well as a number of surgeons sent by the Congolese Ministry of Health from Kinshasa.
    
In Bukavu and Sange Médecins sans Frontières intervenes with intensive nursing care as well and supports the Ministry of Health with medical supplies.
    
In all locations Médecins sans Frontières is setting up comprehensive treatment plans for each individual patient to ensure the burn victims receive the much needed specialised care by focusing on pain management, infection control, specialized nutrition, physiotherapy and mental health.
    
Throughout this highly specialised intervention Médecins sans Frontières works closely with and under the coordination of the provincial authorities to ensure the proper treatment for the victims.