Beni: Recorded mental health cases have risen from 1,367 to 13,282 since the first ADF massacres

Approximately 13,282 people suffering from mental health disorders were recorded in one year across the entire Beni territory in the North Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Before the first killings attributed to the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels in 2014, there were only 1,367, researcher and psychologist Kambale Sekera stated during a conference-debate held on Friday, October 9, 2026, in Kamango, about 100 kilometers from Beni, reports Radio Okapi.

The meeting was organized on the eve of World Mental Health Day, celebrated on October 10. In a region marked by armed attacks, forced displacement, and repeated mourning, the goal was to open a public conversation on a subject rarely addressed head-on. "Mental health is becoming an increasingly visible issue in the Beni territory," the psychologist summarized.

A trauma that has become collective

Kambale Sekera points out that mental health disorders have multiple origins, whether biological, psychological, familial, or social. However, he emphasizes three risk factors that the population of Beni knows intimately: trauma, chronic stress, and significant loss. Permanent insecurity, the disappearance of loved ones, and the obligation to flee one's village lastingly weaken psychological balance, he explains. The figures he presents are not linked to any institution or published methodology, and the two periods compared do not overlap: they describe a trend rather than an established measurement.

The scale of the figures, however, says something essential. Since 2014, the inhabitants of Beni have been counting their dead; almost no one has counted their invisible wounds. This is the part of the conflict that does not appear in any military report and that no ceasefire can close.

The double burden of stigmatization

The psychologist denounces the fate reserved for patients, even after their recovery: many continue to be considered unfit to work or live with others, which blocks their return to the community. He advocates for care based on listening and support, built with the people concerned rather than on their behalf, and for social reintegration, which he presents as a condition for recovery.

The question of resources remains. The availability of psychiatric care is very limited in this part of North Kivu, and Kambale Sekera warns that awareness alone will not be enough: concrete measures are needed. Taking the mental health of civilians in the eastern Congo seriously means recognizing that the repair of a war is not played out only on the military or diplomatic front, but also in the health centers of Kamango and beyond.