Health workers in Bunia, Congo, staged a protest on Thursday to demand unpaid wages, abandoning several health facilities as aid organizations warn that the world's fastest-spreading Ebola outbreak is spreading at an alarming rate. This was reported by infohub.kz.
The protesters gathered in front of the governor's office in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province, which accounts for nearly 90% of Ebola cases in the country. They are the latest group to join protests that began weeks ago over pay issues.
Health workers, including nurses providing critical care to Ebola patients, said they have not received wages and bonuses since the outbreak was declared in mid-May. One protester, Edouige Makosi, said: "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."
Officials have previously blamed logistical issues for payment delays. Congolese authorities did not immediately respond to the demand on Thursday. Poor welfare for frontline workers has been a key concern in the outbreak, the second-largest in history, unfolding in one of Congo's most remote and vulnerable areas. Apart from payment issues, many health workers and facilities have been attacked by rebels and angry mobs.
During his visit to Congo on Wednesday, World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged authorities to prioritize care and support for responders. The medical charity Doctors Without Borders said this week that the outbreak is still "spreading at an alarming and unprecedented rate" and that the response, despite expanding measures, "is still not reaching communities quickly enough to break transmission chains."