‘There’s no salary’: DRC health workers tell of hardship as Ebola spreads

A Deadly Combination: Ebola and Community Distrust

The current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is a dire situation, and the health workers on the frontlines are facing a unique set of challenges. The virus is spreading rapidly, and the region is battling the rare Bundibugyo strain, which has no approved treatments or vaccine. The disease has been transmitting for weeks without official detection, and analysts point to severely weakened disease surveillance resulting from global health aid cuts in the past year.

The epicentre of the outbreak is Ituri province, near the Ugandan border. By July 21, more than 2,500 cases and 1000 deaths had been recorded, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Uganda reported 20 cases, and two deaths. The last confirmed patient had recovered by July 16.

At the forefront of the fight to break the spread are health workers dealing with the risk of getting infected, a shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE), and deadly attacks from suspicious communities who do not believe in the virus, and thus do not seek medical help. Many health workers also complain about unpaid salaries. Last week, dozens at the Rwampara General Hospital downed their tools in a strike. The hospital operates a major Ebola treatment centre and is located close to the city of Bunia in Ituri.

The Human Cost: Health Workers on the Frontlines

Health workers like Paluku Audrey are at the forefront of the fight to break the spread of the Ebola virus. Audrey is a 29-year-old community engagement officer at the local hospital centre in Rwampara. Her work is to go into different communities and tell people about the risk of Ebola disease. It means she has to meet people every day even though many of them don’t believe this disease exists. Sometimes, people are physically hostile.

Audrey has been involved since May, when the outbreak was declared. She told herself that she has to come to work urgently – not to make money, but first and foremost to save people’s lives. She wakes up every morning at 6am and leaves her home in the Kindia neighbourhood of Bunia to head to work. Her home is more than 10 kilometres from the Rwampara health centre. Sometimes she takes a bus, but other times, she has to walk the whole way, even though it’s a long journey.

The Unpaid Salaries: A Major Concern

Many health workers are complaining about unpaid salaries. Audrey is not even sure of the exact pay. The biggest problem they face is scepticism on the part of communities who don’t understand the risk posed by the Ebola virus disease. Some people can’t even believe it exists. There are also many conspiracy theories surrounding this disease. Some say it is a punishment from the ancestors. Others say it is a disease manufactured to reduce the earth’s population.

Every day, Audrey and her colleagues have to walk through streets and hostile neighbourhoods in Bunia, where people look at them with distrust and think they are lying about Ebola. They do this from morning until evening. They tell people about hygiene measures to prevent Ebola, and what it looks like when someone is infected. They tell them how important it is to go to the hospital once they feel unwell.

The Road Ahead: A Complex Situation

The situation is complex, and the health workers on the frontlines are facing a unique set of challenges. The Ebola outbreak in the DRC is a major concern, and the situation is being exacerbated by the lack of trust in authorities and the shortage of PPE. The health workers on the frontlines are facing a deadly combination of Ebola and community distrust, and their safety and well-being are a major concern.