A Hutu rebel faction was responsible for the kidnapping of four foreign nationals in August 1998 in a region of the DROC, which borders Rwanda. Hutu rebel factions are known to operate in northeastern DROC and surrounding areas, including sections of Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania and Burundi. Pick-pocketing in crowded public places is common, as is petty theft from cars and hotel rooms. The loss or theft of a U.S. passport should be reported immediately to local police and to the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. The pamphlets, A Safe Trip Abroad and Tips for Travelers to Sub-Saharan Africa, provide useful information on personal security while traveling abroad and on travel in the region in general.
Medical facilities are limited, and some medicines are in short supply or unavailable.
Travelers generally bring their own supplies of prescription drugs and preventive medicines. A missionary hospital run by Americans is located in Kibogora, in the southwest of Rwanda, and it has some surgical facilities. U.S. medical insurance is not always valid outside the United States. U.S. Medicare and Medicaid programs do not provide for payment of medical services outside the United States. Doctors and hospitals often expect immediate cash payment for health services.