Congo health workers protest for unpaid wages amid Ebola outbreak

Dozens of health workers at the epicentre of Congo's Ebola outbreak staged protests on Thursday, August 6, demanding payment of their wages, abandoning several health facilities even as aid workers warn that the world's fastest-growing outbreak of the disease is spreading at an alarming rate.

The health workers gathered at the governor's office in Bunia, capital of Ituri province, which accounts for nearly 90 per cent of Ebola cases in the country. They are the latest group to walk off the job since protests over pay issues began weeks ago.

The health workers, including nurses providing critical care to Ebola patients, said they have not received wages or bonuses for their work fighting the disease since the outbreak was declared in mid-May.

"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," said Edouige Makosi, one of the protesters.

Officials have previously cited logistical issues for the payment delays. Congolese authorities did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday, August 6.

Poor welfare conditions for frontline workers have been a persistent concern during the outbreak, the second-largest in history, which is unfolding in one of Congo's most remote and vulnerable regions.

Apart from payment issues, many health workers and facilities have come under attack from rebels and angry mobs.

During a visit to Congo on Wednesday, World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged authorities to prioritise care and support for response workers.

The medical charity Doctors Without Borders said this week that the outbreak continues to spread at an alarming and unprecedented rate, and that the response effort, despite being expanded, is still not reaching communities fast enough to break the chains of transmission.

(Sourced through PTI)