More health workers strike in Ituri province, at the heart of Congo’s Ebola outbreak

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Health workers in the Democratic Republic of Congo's Ituri province, the epicenter of the country's Ebola outbreak, have gone on strike over unpaid wages and bonuses, disrupting care for patients and complicating efforts to contain the virus. The strike comes as the number of confirmed Ebola cases in the country has reached 2,011, including 754 deaths, according to government data reported by Africa News and Al Jazeera.

The World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Tuesday that the official death toll might be two to four times higher than the recorded numbers, as reported by Africa News and Al Jazeera. The outbreak, declared on May 15, is caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of the virus, for which there is no approved vaccine or treatment.

Coverage Comparison

Reports from Africa News, Al Jazeera, AllAfrica, and RFI — English consistently describe health workers walking off their jobs in Ituri province over unpaid salaries and bonuses. The strikes have affected multiple facilities, including Bunia General Hospital and the Elikya Ebola Treatment Centre in Bunia, as well as Rwampara General Hospital.

At Rwampara General Hospital, dozens of workers — including epidemiologists, case investigators, drivers, and gravediggers — went on strike on Monday, blocking the road and burning tires in front of the main gate, according to Africa News and Al Jazeera. Workers at Bunia General Hospital barricaded the entrance on Wednesday, and around 100 health workers protested outside the Elikya centre on Saturday, as reported by AllAfrica and RFI — English.

Sources differ slightly on the timeline and scope of the strikes. Some reports describe the walkout as a full strike, while others note that workers had threatened a "full-scale strike" if a 48-hour ultimatum for payment was not met. Al Jazeera reported that the strike at Rwampara came as authorities revealed the virus had spread to two additional provinces in northern DRC.

The number of confirmed Ebola cases and deaths varies across reports, reflecting different reporting dates. Early reports from Africa News and Al Jazeera cited 2,011 confirmed cases and 754 deaths as of Wednesday. Later reports from AllAfrica and RFI — English cited 2,973 confirmed cases and 1,309 deaths as of Friday. A separate Al Jazeera report cited 1,759 confirmed cases and 600 deaths. These figures reflect the evolving nature of the outbreak data.

Key Claims

• Health workers in Ituri province have gone on strike over unpaid wages and bonuses, disrupting Ebola treatment centers.
• Confirmed Ebola cases in the DRC have reached 2,011, including 754 deaths, as reported by Africa News and Al Jazeera.
• The WHO warned the official death toll might be two to four times higher than recorded numbers, as reported by Africa News and Al Jazeera.
• The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which there is no approved vaccine or treatment.
• Ituri province accounts for nearly 90 percent of confirmed cases, as reported by Africa News and AllAfrica.
• More than 100 healthcare workers have been infected since the beginning of the outbreak, according to the WHO, as reported by AllAfrica and RFI — English.
• The outbreak has spread to five provinces: Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Tshopo, and Haut-Uele, as reported by Africa News.
• At least 600 people have died from Ebola, with 1,759 confirmed cases, according to a government data report cited by Al Jazeera.

Perspectives

Health workers: Striking workers at Rwampara and Bunia hospitals told The Associated Press and AFP that they have not been paid since the outbreak began in May. "We've been treating Ebola patients without pay since May 15. We continue to do so because that is our oath but we are working in very difficult conditions," said doctor Pascal Bahoya, as reported by Africa News. Workers also cited unpaid bonuses and inadequate working conditions.

Authorities: Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamba acknowledged "delays in payment" during a visit to Ituri and gave assurances that the "organisational issue" at the root of the problem would be resolved, as reported by Africa News.

WHO and MSF: The WHO warned that the outbreak could be two to four times larger than reported, and that at least 80% of new cases are emerging from unknown chains of transmission. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) said health workers are struggling to contain the outbreak, with more than 1,000 deaths in the two months since it was declared a public health emergency of international concern. "We see the number of cases increasing every single day," said MSF Emergency Programme Manager Trish Newport, as reported by Africa News.

Local residents: Bunia resident Denis Kpadjanga told The Associated Press: "What I see are healthcare workers and Ebola response personnel doing good work, but they aren't being paid. As soon as they ask for their money, things get complicated," as reported by Africa News.