Health workers at the forefront of the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo have staged protests demanding unpaid wages and bonuses, exacerbating the challenges of an epidemic that has become the second-largest on record. Dozens of workers, including those providing direct care to Ebola patients, abandoned health facilities in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province, which accounts for nearly 90% of the country's cases.
This action comes as confirmed cases in the outbreak reached 3,973, with 1,801 deaths as of Tuesday, according to government data. The current outbreak, declared in mid-May in one of Congo's most remote regions, is second only to the 2014-2016 West Africa outbreak that saw over 28,000 cases and more than 11,000 deaths.
Protesters gathered at the governor’s office in Bunia, citing a lack of wages and bonuses since the outbreak began. "With this way of managing things, Ebola will not end in this province," said protester Edouige Makosi. "We ask the authorities to get involved at all levels so that a solution is found quickly."
Congolese authorities have previously attributed payment delays to logistical issues. No immediate comment was available from officials on Thursday. The welfare of frontline workers has been a significant concern throughout the outbreak, with many also facing attacks from rebels and angry mobs.
During a visit to Congo on Wednesday, World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged authorities to prioritize support for responders. Medical charity Doctors Without Borders stated this week that the outbreak continues to spread at an "alarming and unprecedented rate," and that the response is not reaching communities quickly enough to halt transmission.
Government data indicates 674 patients are currently in isolation, predominantly in Ituri province. While at least 75% of contacts of infected individuals are being traced, officials express concern that 60-70% of new cases originate from outside these traced contacts, often in remote areas where rebel conflict and mining activities impede access. This situation highlights the complex interplay of health, security, and logistics hindering containment efforts. Medical workers bury a deceased person in accordance with epidemic prevention protocols in Bunia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, on July 31, 2026. A volunteer uses a megaphone to make announcements while intercepting a passenger boat in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, on August 6, 2026.
