Health workers at an Ebola treatment center in eastern Congo staged a strike on Saturday, citing unpaid wages. The protest disrupted patient care in the heart of the country’s rapidly escalating outbreak. The official reported cases in Congo have now surged to 2,973, with 1,309 fatalities, marking the swiftest outbreak growth on record.
The Elikya Ebola Treatment Center in Bunia, Ituri province, came to a halt as doctors, nurses, and security personnel ceased operations. Approximately 100 health workers demonstrated outside the facility, expressing concerns that the unpaid bonuses were affecting morale and patient treatment. They urged Congolese authorities to address the salary arrears promptly to allow them to resume their duties.
Martin Bolombi, one of the striking workers, emphasized the urgency of receiving payment, citing the increasing disease spread at the treatment center. He lamented the loss of five individuals while waiting for resolution, urging swift action.
In a statement released on Friday, the staff announced a unanimous decision to strike until “tangible solutions” were implemented to settle “two months of overdue performance bonuses.”
The strike coincided with the visit of Congo’s Prime Minister Judith Suminwa to Ituri the day before. During her assessment of the outbreak response at major treatment hubs in Rwampara and Mongbwalu, health-care personnel raised pressing concerns about payment issues. Dr. Adelard Lufungula, overseeing the Ebola response operations, assured on Saturday that the payment matter was being addressed, with workers now receiving payments via mobile money to clear the backlog in the upcoming days.
Last week, health workers at Bunia General Hospital, the region’s largest medical facility, also protested over unpaid salaries. Some revealed that they had not received any payment since the outbreak’s inception.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reported over 100 health-care workers infected since the outbreak’s onset. The Congo Ministry of Health data indicated that the Central African nation has been combating the Ebola outbreak from the rare Bundibugyo virus since May 15, with 766 patients still isolated or in hospitals and 540 recoveries. The Ituri province accounts for nearly 90% of the confirmed cases.
Despite an expanding response, the outbreak continues to outpace health officials’ tracking abilities. Identifying patient zero remains a challenge while displacement due to armed conflict and illegal mining impedes contact tracing efforts. Additionally, a funding shortfall, attacks on health facilities, ongoing conflicts, and community distrust further hinder the response.
Moreover, the absence of approved vaccines or treatments for the Bundibugyo virus, unlike the more common Zaire virus, poses a significant challenge. Enrollment in a vital study of two potential Ebola treatments recently commenced in Ituri. WHO reassured a low global risk of the outbreak spreading beyond Central Africa, emphasizing Ebola’s mode of transmission through direct bodily fluid contact, reducing its airborne transmission likelihood.
The Canadian Public Health Agency confirmed a low health risk to Canadians and implemented measures to prevent potential spread, barring foreign nationals who recently visited Congo. The temporary restriction will remain in effect until Aug. 29.
