Key facts
- Health workers in Congo's Ituri province are working without pay amid a major Ebola outbreak.
- Wiza Bondele, an infection control worker, disinfects contaminated areas and enforces protocols at an Ebola treatment hospital.
- Hundreds of health workers have not received their promised monthly salary of $510.
- Strikes and protests have disrupted the Ebola response due to unpaid wages.
- The outbreak is complicated by conflict, misinformation, and public mistrust, leading to attacks on health workers and facilities.
Wiza Bondele, an infection control worker, is on the front lines of the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak in history, working at a hospital in Congo's Ituri province. Despite the high risk of infection from bodily fluids, Bondele and hundreds of other health workers have been working without pay since the outbreak was declared in mid-May. The promised monthly salary of $510 has not been consistently disbursed, leading to financial hardship and strikes.
Bondele, a veteran of a previous Ebola response, returned to help his community, but struggles to meet basic needs like rent, food, and transportation without his salary. He recounted an instance where he had to walk eight miles to work after running out of fuel.
The unpaid wages have significantly impacted morale and disrupted critical care, with some health workers staging protests and abandoning facilities. While officials claim the payment issues are being resolved through mobile money transactions, workers remain uncertain.
These challenges are compounded by the ongoing conflict in the region, widespread misinformation about Ebola, and deep public mistrust. These factors make containment efforts difficult, with some communities resisting prevention measures and even attacking health teams and treatment centers. Rumors about the virus being a hoax or health workers profiting from the outbreak have fueled violent incidents.