Medical staff wear protective gear while treating Ebola patients at an MSF treatment centre in Goma, DRC, on June 2, 2026. [AFP]
Health workers in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s worst-ever outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola have threatened to down their tools as treatment centres are reaching capacity and deaths continue to balloon.
The strike notice, issued by health workers in Ituri Province, comes as the outbreak has claimed 508 lives from 1,561 confirmed infections, giving the epidemic a case fatality rate of 32 per cent.
That is in every 3 confirmed cases, 1 death has been reported. More than 250 patients have recovered, while hundreds of suspected infections are still under investigation.
Healthcare workers say they have gone weeks without outbreak-related allowances despite working long hours under extremely difficult conditions. They’re also asking for better pay, protective equipment and better working conditions.
