Ebola workers strike in Congo over unpaid wages amid epidemic

Healthcare workers at an Ebola treatment center in eastern Congo have initiated a strike, demanding the payment of overdue wages. This action has critically disrupted care for patients in the epicenter of a rapidly escalating epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Elikya Ebola treatment center in Bunia, located in the Ituri province, has ceased operations as doctors, nurses, and security personnel joined the protest.

Approximately one hundred health workers demonstrated outside the center, citing unpaid bonuses as a significant blow to morale and a hindrance to patient care. They are urging Congolese authorities to address the outstanding payments to resume their work. A statement released by the staff indicated a unanimous decision to strike until concrete solutions are found for two months of unpaid work bonuses. This strike occurred just a day after Congolese Prime Minister Judith Suminwa visited Ituri to assess the response to the epidemic, where she received urgent appeals from health personnel regarding the owed payments.

Adelard Lufungula, the Ebola operations manager, stated that the payment issue is being addressed and that workers are now being compensated through mobile money instead of cash, with outstanding payments expected to be settled in the coming days. This is not the first instance of such a protest; last week, healthcare workers at the General Hospital in Bunia, the region's largest medical facility, also went on strike due to unpaid salaries. Some workers reported not being paid since the beginning of the epidemic.

The World Health Organization notes that over 100 health workers have contracted the virus since the epidemic began on May 15. The Ituri province accounts for nearly 90% of all confirmed cases. The epidemic continues to spread rapidly, outpacing containment efforts. Challenges include the failure to identify the initial patient and the displacement of people due to armed conflict and illegal mining, which complicates contact tracing. Funding shortages, attacks on health centers, ongoing conflict, and community mistrust further impede the response. Additionally, unlike the Zaire strain for which a vaccine exists, there are currently no approved vaccines or treatments for the Bundibugyo strain affecting the region.

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We have unanimously decided to strike until concrete solutions are found for two months of unpaid bonuses for work.