Dozens of health workers at the epicenter of Congo's Ebola outbreak have protested delayed wages and bonuses since mid-May, disrupting care and threatening efforts to contain the rapidly spreading epidemic. The workers, including those treating patients and conducting surveillance, cite financial hardship and unfair treatment.
The unpaid wages of health workers directly threaten the response to one of the world's fastest-growing Ebola outbreaks, potentially leading to further spread of the deadly virus and increased mortality.
Health workers at the epicenter of Congo's Ebola outbreak have staged protests demanding payment for their wages and bonuses, disrupting care in the rapidly spreading epidemic. The workers, including nurses and epidemiological surveillance staff, stated they have not been paid since the outbreak was declared in mid-May. The protests are centered in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province, which accounts for nearly 90% of the country's Ebola cases. This situation threatens efforts to control the outbreak, which has already recorded 1,708 cases and 580 deaths, with the initial month being the worst on record. Some treatment centers are reportedly at near-full capacity, and the strike coincides with the start of enrollment for clinical trials for the Bundibugyo virus treatment. Health workers also allege working with limited protective gear and facing unfair treatment from authorities and response teams, highlighting the severe socio-economic difficulties they face.