Ebola Health Workers in Congo Are on Strike

As the Ebola outbreak continues to grow in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo some front line doctors, nurses, and community health workers in the hard hit Ituri province went on strike on July 7. The strike is concentrated in public hospitals of the Ministry of Health, upon which the general population is almost completely dependent. On July 5 health workers in Ituri gave an official 48-hour notice of their intent to strike to national and provincial authorities if their demands were not met. Striking health workers complained about zero pay during the entire outbreak, insufficient protective supplies, and the dangerous working conditions including working in a conflict zone. Five doctors and 17 nurses in the area have died from Ebola since the outbreak began. Health workers say that they leave their homes early in the morning and return late at night, but their families have nothing to eat.