Front-line health workers battling the Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC, have gone on strike over unpaid salaries and hazardous working conditions.
The workers say they have gone for months without receiving the salaries promised for their work in high-risk areas, with some reportedly receiving less than the agreed amount.
The dispute comes as Ebola infections continue to rise, putting additional pressure on the country’s response teams and raising concerns that staff shortages could undermine efforts to contain the worsening outbreak.
Among the affected workers is Wiza Bondele, a member of an Ebola infection prevention and control team who also worked during the country’s 2018 outbreak, said workers began a strike in July after authorities failed to address concerns over unpaid wages and hazardous working conditions.
He said some workers who eventually received payments were given $380 instead of the promised $510, while many others remained unpaid.
Bondele described working seven days a week while wearing heavy personal protective equipment for extended periods, sometimes beyond recommended safety limits.
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He said workers regularly attend to patients suffering severe symptoms, including vomiting blood, while receiving inadequate support and compensation.
The combination of long working hours, hazardous conditions and delayed salaries has left some workers questioning whether they can continue serving on the front lines.
Beyond the physical strain, Bondele said his biggest concern was contracting Ebola and potentially transmitting the virus to his family and wider community.
Although he has considered leaving the response effort because of the risks, he said he was waiting to see whether authorities would honour their commitments and pay workers for the months they had already served.
The outbreak has also devastated families who have lost loved ones to the virus. Georgine Imani, whose father died from Ebola, appealed to authorities to intensify efforts to identify effective treatments and bring the outbreak under control.
The latest Ebola outbreak in eastern DRC has already surpassed the country’s 2018 outbreak in confirmed cases. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has warned that the epidemic is following a trajectory significantly worse than previous outbreaks, raising concerns that shortages of frontline health workers could further hamper containment efforts.
Africa News
