DRC Ebola outbreak leads health workers strike over pay

A major Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, declared on May 15, is straining the country's response as frontline healthcare workers have walked off the job over unpaid wages and deteriorating conditions. The outbreak, concentrated in the northeastern provinces of Ituri and North Kivu, has infected more than 1,700 people and killed at least 580, making its first month the worst on record for the country.

The labor action, centered in Ituri's capital Bunia and the neighboring town of Rwampara, involves doctors, epidemiologists, security personnel, and burial teams who say they have not received salaries or promised bonuses since the emergency began. Workers also cite shortages of protective equipment and hostility from some communities. The strike comes as treatment centers are reported to be at or near full capacity, with facilities admitting over 100 patients daily in recent days.

Government officials have acknowledged payment delays, attributing them partly to logistical challenges, including the closure of Bunia Airport hampering fund transfers. During a visit last month, Health Minister Roger Kamba assured response teams they would be fully supported, but...