Congo Ebola Outbreak: Health Workers Strike, Disrupting Treatment at Epicentre

Health workers at an Ebola treatment centre in eastern Congo went on strike Saturday over unpaid performance bonuses, disrupting medical care in the heart of the country's rapidly growing outbreak.

Activities at the Elikya Ebola Treatment Centre in Bunia, Ituri province, were largely paralysed after doctors, nurses and security personnel stopped work. Around 100 health workers protested outside the facility, demanding that authorities clear two months of unpaid bonuses and address concerns over staff welfare.

In a statement issued Friday, workers said they had unanimously decided to strike until "concrete solutions" were found to resolve the payment arrears. They warned that the delays were undermining morale and affecting patient care.

The latest government data released Friday showed that Congo's Ebola outbreak has reached 2,973 confirmed cases and 1,309 deaths, making it the fastest-growing outbreak of the disease on record, according to authorities. The strike comes after health workers at Bunia General Hospital, the region's largest medical facility, also stopped work over unpaid salaries. Some workers said they had not received payments since joining the response at the beginning of the outbreak.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has reported that more than 100 healthcare workers have been infected since the outbreak began. The outbreak, caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, was first reported on May 15. According to Congo's Health Ministry, 766 patients remain in isolation or hospitals, while 540 have recovered. Ituri province accounts for nearly 90% of confirmed cases.

The response continues to face major challenges, including armed conflict, population displacement, attacks on health facilities, funding shortages and community mistrust. Authorities have also been unable to identify the outbreak's patient zero, complicating contact tracing.

Unlike the more common Zaire virus, there are currently no approved vaccines or treatments for Bundibugyo virus. Trials of two potential Ebola treatments have recently begun in Ituri. The WHO has said the global risk of the outbreak spreading beyond Central Africa remains low, as Ebola is primarily transmitted through direct contact with bodily fluids.