Additional Context: An NGO program manager in South Kivu described the situation: “PEP kits are only effective if survivors can access them within 72 hours. That requires more than just having kits available somewhere. It requires a functioning network of health facilities where kits are consistently stocked, and staff are trained to respond. Right now, we know that many health structures across eastern DRC have completely run out. This breakdown defeats the entire purpose of the PEP system. Survivors should not have to travel from clinic to clinic in search of essential care. Restoring access to these kits isn’t just about medicine, it’s about rebuilding a system survivors can trust.”

This information was first published in a July 2025 research brief by Physicians for Human Rights entitled "Abandoned in Crisis: The Impact of U.S. Global Health Funding Cuts in Democratic Republic of the Congo." This brief is based on the findings of a rapid qualitative research assessment conducted from May to July 2025 with 15 medical professionals, humanitarian actors, and staff implementing projects in the North Kivu, South Kivu, and Kasaï regions of the DRC. Respondents were selected based on their direct experience with health systems affected by U.S. foreign aid funding cuts. Participants shared their perspectives through written statements, recorded interviews, voice memos, or other audio submissions. With informed consent, any audio submissions were recorded and transcribed, and the resulting data were analyzed to identify shared impacts and challenges. Participation was entirely voluntary, and all identifying information was removed to ensure participant confidentiality.

Source: Physicians for Human Rights (PHR)