Dozens of workers at an Ebola treatment center in northeast Congo have gone on strike over unpaid salaries and bonuses, disrupting efforts to combat the latest outbreak of the disease.
The striking staff, employed at Rwampara General Hospital in Ituri province, include epidemiologists, case investigators, drivers, and gravediggers. They have not received wages or bonuses from the Congolese authorities, according to reports.
The closure of the hospital by the protesting staff has led to the blockage of the road leading to the medical facility. Some health workers and ground staff began their strike last week, citing a failure by authorities to pay their wages since the current Ebola outbreak was declared on May 15.
The World Health Organization noted that the disease had been transmitting for weeks before its official detection. The current outbreak is attributed to the rare Bundibugyo virus, for which there is no approved vaccine or treatment available.