Ebola in DRC: Health workers protest to demand payment of their salaries

Workers involved in the fight against Ebola in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo staged several protests on Thursday demanding full payment of their wages. The demonstrators denounced delays and payment problems while they are contributing to the medical response to an epidemic that continues to claim lives.

Dozens of members of Ebola response teams gathered outside three treatment centers in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province, the region hardest hit by the epidemic. The gatherings took place outside the Evangelical Medical Center (CME), as well as the Elikya and Salama treatment centers.

Police dispersed one of the demonstrations organized in front of the CME. Authorities did not immediately indicate whether the protests had disrupted the operation of treatment centers or patient care.

According to the latest data released Wednesday by the Congolese government, the Ebola outbreak has infected 1,759 people since it began nearly two months ago, resulting in 600 confirmed deaths. The World Health Organization (WHO) indicated this week that transmission of this rare form of the virus is continuing. This strain has an estimated mortality rate of between 30% and 50% and currently has neither a vaccine nor a cure.

Faced with the anger of field teams, the Congolese Minister of Health, Samuel Roger Kamba, acknowledged difficulties in managing the personnel mobilized against the epidemic. He cited problems related to the "human resources pillar of the response," including errors and delays in updating the lists of people due to receive payment.

The affected staff also denounced their working conditions and a lack of recognition from the authorities. While the epidemic continues to require significant healthcare resources, these tensions highlight the difficulties faced by frontline teams.