Dozens of Congolese health workers at the Ebola epicenter have gone on strike demanding unpaid wages, while aid groups warn the outbreak is still spreading at an alarming rate in remote areas.
According to the latest government figures released on September 5, the number of confirmed cases in this outbreak has reached 3,973, including 1,801 deaths. This is the second-largest Ebola outbreak in history, after the West Africa epidemic of 2014-2016, which saw more than 28,000 cases and over 11,000 deaths.
Health workers in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province—which accounts for nearly 90% of Ebola cases in the DRC—are the latest group to join the strike, following weeks of protests over unpaid salaries across the country. Protesters gathered at the governor's office on September 5 said they have not received their wages or allowances since the outbreak was declared in mid-May.
“With this kind of management, Ebola will not end in this province,” Edouige Makosi, a protester, told the Associated Press. “We ask the authorities to intervene at all levels to find a solution soon.”
Earlier, officials cited logistical issues as the reason for payment delays. The Congolese government did not immediately comment on the allegations.
Poor welfare for frontline workers is a major concern in this outbreak, which is unfolding in one of the DRC's most remote and vulnerable regions, where clashes between armed groups are frequent. Many health workers and facilities have been attacked by rebels and mobs.
Government data shows that 674 patients are currently in isolation, most of them in Ituri. Contact tracing has reached at least 75% of people exposed to patients.
Officials are concerned that 60-70% of new cases come from outside the contact list, mainly in remote areas where conflict and mining activities limit access.
World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, during a visit to the DRC on September 4, called on authorities to prioritize care and support for response teams.
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) warned this week that the outbreak is still “spreading at an alarming and unprecedented rate,” and said that although the response has been scaled up, it is still “not reaching communities fast enough to break the chain of transmission.”
“Immediate action is needed,” said Philippa Boulle, MSF's deputy medical director, in a statement on September 4. “Every day of delay is a day the virus gets ahead, causing more lives to be needlessly lost.”
