DR Congo Health Workers Strike Over Unpaid Wages, Threatening Ebola Response in Ituri Province

Healthcare workers in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) launched a strike over months of unpaid wages and allowances, centered in Ituri Province, where doctors, epidemiologists, laboratory technicians, burial teams, and community outreach workers said they had not received salaries or bonuses since the outbreak was declared on May 15.

Dr. Biensi Kano, a member of the epidemiological surveillance committee in Bunia, told The Associated Press, "Since the Ebola virus disease outbreak was declared, we've been demanding payment for our work," as the walkout raised fears that efforts to contain the virus could be disrupted.

ABC News

The strike comes as the outbreak has resulted in 1,708 confirmed cases, including 580 deaths, according to the latest figures released by Congolese health authorities.

The World Health Organization warned that the virus continues to spread rapidly, with Dr. Anne Ancia saying several Ebola treatment centers are operating close to full capacity.

In Bunia, workers issued a formal notice demanding payment within 24 hours, and when no payments arrived, many suspended their duties.

Al Jazeera reported that confirmed Ebola deaths in the DRC hit 600 as the number of confirmed cases rose to 1,759, citing government data released on Wednesday and confirmed as of Tuesday.

In the previous 24 hours, Al Jazeera said 51 new cases and 20 deaths were recorded, while the total infected did not include two cases of illness reported in Kisangani as test results were validated.

Africa For Press

The Associated Press said the latest government data showed 1,708 recorded cases, including 580 deaths, and described the first month of the outbreak as "already the worst on record" for speed of transmission and number of cases.

WHO representative in Congo Dr. Anne Ancia said Tuesday that the virus continues to spread, fueled by population movements and insecurity, while some treatment centers were at near-full capacity.

As the strike unfolded, front-line workers in Ituri threatened to strike if wages were not paid in 24 hours, and by Tuesday some had already stopped working although no official strike had been declared.

The strike coincided with the launch of clinical trials evaluating treatments for the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, with the strike occurring "at the start of enrollment" for trials for the treatment of the Bundibugyo virus.

“At least 600 people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have died from Ebola, as the number of confirmed cases of the illness rose to 1,759, according to government data”

Al Jazeera

Dr. Anne Ancia said the virus continues to spread while some treatment centers are operating close to full capacity, and the walkout threatened to undermine the response during a phase when facilities were under extreme pressure.

Business News Nigeria reported that facilities admitted 118 patients on Tuesday, more than double the average daily admissions recorded throughout June, as the WHO described treatment centers reaching a "saturation point."

The National Institute of Public Health’s incident manager Akilimali Pierre told The Associated Press that the temporary closure of Bunia Airport had complicated the transfer of operational funds to response teams, contributing to delayed payments.

Residents in Ituri, including Bunia resident Anifa Kito, said they feared response efforts may falter, and she urged authorities to resolve the situation before it worsened.