Unpaid Health Workers Protest as Congo's Ebola Outbreak Worsens

Bunia, Democratic Republic of Congo:

Dozens of frontline health workers battling the Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo staged protests on Thursday, demanding payment of overdue wages and bonuses. The demonstrations forced many workers to leave health facilities, raising fresh concerns as aid agencies warn that the outbreak is spreading at an alarming pace.

The protesters gathered outside the governor's office in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province, which accounts for nearly 90 per cent of the country's Ebola cases. The striking workers included nurses and medical staff directly involved in treating Ebola patients, many of whom said they have not received salaries or risk allowances since the outbreak was declared in mid-May.

Expressing frustration over the delays, protester Edouige Makosi said the poor management of frontline responders could hamper efforts to contain the deadly disease. "With this way of managing things, Ebola will not end in this province. We ask the authorities to get involved at all levels so that a solution is found quickly," she said.

Congolese officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Authorities have previously attributed the payment delays to logistical challenges.

The wage dispute adds to mounting difficulties facing healthcare personnel in one of the country's most remote and conflict-affected regions. Apart from delayed payments, many medical workers and treatment facilities have come under attack from armed rebel groups and angry mobs, complicating efforts to control the outbreak.

During a visit to Congo on Wednesday, World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged authorities to prioritise the welfare and protection of frontline responders, stressing that they remain central to the Ebola response.

Meanwhile, Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières) warned earlier this week that the outbreak is "spreading at an alarming and unprecedented rate." The humanitarian organisation said that although response efforts have expanded, they are still failing to reach vulnerable communities quickly enough to break chains of transmission, increasing the risk of further spread.