DRC Ebola Deaths Mount while Health Workers Strike
Michiyo Tanabe and Noriko Watanabe
Modern Tokyo Times
The latest Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is placing immense strain on an already fragile healthcare system. With more than 750 deaths from over 2,000 confirmed cases — and little indication the outbreak is under control — frontline healthcare workers say they have been abandoned.
The crisis unfolds in a nation already burdened by chronic insecurity, countless militias, Islamist Takfiri forces that target Christian communities, and a relentless cycle of humanitarian emergencies. Cholera, HIV, malaria, measles, mpox, pneumonia, tuberculosis, and other infectious diseases continue to ravage vulnerable populations, compounded by malnutrition, food insecurity, poor sanitation, weak infrastructure, and years of armed conflict.
At Bunia General Hospital, the largest medical facility in the worst-affected region, healthcare workers went on strike over unpaid wages, following similar walkouts elsewhere. Staff argued that despite risking their lives to combat Ebola, they have been repeatedly denied salaries and promised bonuses.
Africa News reports, “In Ituri province, the hardest hit among the three provinces in eastern Congo affected by the outbreak, some of the health professionals and other front-line workers told The Associated Press they’ve not been paid their wages and bonuses since the outbreak was declared on 15 May.”
Lee Jay Walker, Modern Tokyo Times analyst, says: “It is shocking that frontline healthcare workers and even grave diggers are being treated with such disdain. It also exposes the limited reach of the central government in a country blighted by conflict, corruption, poverty, and relentless healthcare crises.”
Al Jazeera reports, “The protests in Bunia come after other strikes in the region, which is the epicentre of the outbreak. Dozens of healthcare workers, including epidemiologists and grave diggers at the Rwampara General Hospital, walked off their jobs on Monday claiming they hadn’t been paid for months.”
Alarmingly, the World Health Organization (WHO) believes the true death toll may be two to four times higher than the officially reported 754 deaths.
AP News notes, “The virus causing this outbreak, called Bundibugyo, is less common than others that cause Ebola disease and there are no specific treatments or vaccines for it.” However, vaccine trials are underway, offering hope that this strain can eventually be contained.
As The Guardian explains, “Ebola spreads through direct contact with body fluids from infected people or animals… According to the WHO, the average fatality rate from Ebola is about 50%, varying from 25% to 90% in past outbreaks. This is the 17th Ebola outbreak in the DRC since the discovery of the virus.”
The strike by frontline healthcare workers during such a deadly outbreak underscores a profound institutional failure. Those risking their lives to contain Ebola deserve reliable pay, sustained support, and far greater international assistance if the DRC is to overcome yet another devastating public health emergency.
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