Ebola Outbreak Outpacing Recovery Efforts As Aid Workers Go On Strike Over Pay
The world is currently experiencing one of the fastest-growing Ebola outbreaks in history. The virus is currently spreading at a rate faster than the efforts to fight it, according to the head of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Ghebreyesus spoke with officials during a visit to the Congo, where some health workers are also currently on strike over a lack of pay, which is also slowing recovery efforts.
This outbreak has been occurring for about three months with new courses doubling in some of the hot spots, Ghebreyesus stated in a post to his social media after meeting with officials in the capital Kinshasa. This marks the second visit that the WHO director-general took to the country since the outbreak was officially declared in mid-May.
“We all agree that we must urgently and massively scale up all our efforts across all pillars of the response and by all partners.”
The outbreak itself has had over 3,800 confirmed cases and over 1,700 deaths as of the beginning of this week, according to the latest data from Congo’s Ministry of Health.
In the epicenter of the outbreak, the Ituri province, it’s been reported that many of the front line workers have gone on strike. The healthcare workers have also been impacted by rebel conflict within one of Congo’s most remote and vulnerable areas.
Some workers stated that they started receiving payment within the past week for the work they’ve been doing since the outbreak began, and are demanding improved wages, according to reports.
A resident of Bunia, Anicet Baluku, told the Associated Press that he blamed the death of his two brothers from Ebola on the strike. “We urge the authorities to quickly find a solution to prevent other families from experiencing the same tragedy.”
The US Department of State said this week that it will be providing an additional $242 million in funding for immediate Ebola response and preparedness efforts in the region and for humanitarian assistance.
The outbreak itself has outpaced all previous Ebola outbreaks due to its speed of transmission and is currently the second-largest outbreak on record after the 2014-2016 West Africa outbreak that had over 28,000 cases and more than 11,000 deaths.
The specific Bundibugyo virus that is causing this current outbreak has no approved treatment or vaccine.
Doctors Without Borders stated this week that the outbreak is still “spreading at an alarming and unprecedented rate. The response is expanding but is still not reaching communities quickly enough to break transmission chains.”
Dr. Jean Kaseya, the head of Africa Centers for Disease and Control, stated that during a visit to Bunia that contact tracing isn’t working, while 60% to 70% of new cases coming outside of those being monitored after exposure to patients.
The later detection of cases has been a main contributor to the 45% fatality rate, according to officials. The health ministry stated that of the 77 most-recent cases reported during a 24-hour period, 44 were fatal, and at least 717 patients are in isolation with 749 patients have recovered.
Dr. Kaseya also met with Ghebreyesus this week, and stated that the Africa CDC is “aligning its efforts with responders around earlier detection, stronger contact tracing, rapid access to quality care, and deeper engagement with communities.”
“Above all, communities must be at the center of and have ownership of the response. We cannot stop Ebola without their trust, leadership, and partnership,” he said.
Eric Mastrota is a Contributing Editor at The National Digest based in New York. A graduate of SUNY New Paltz, he reports on world news, culture, and lifestyle. You can reach him at eric.mastrota@thenationaldigest.com.