Mehr Gehalt gefordert: Trotz Ebola-Ausbruch: Gesundheitsarbeiter streiken im Kongo

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the country's healthcare workers' union has called for a nationwide strike despite a significant Ebola outbreak in the eastern part of the country. The union's demands include wage increases, improved working conditions, and hazard allowances, stating that the government did not meet their requests during negotiations.

According to the government, 9,144 Ebola cases have been confirmed in the eastern Congo since mid-May, and 4,410 people have died from the virus. The African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) describes this Ebola outbreak as the fastest-growing in history. The strike is reportedly taking place in both outbreak-affected and unaffected regions, with union coordinator Damien Muhindo confirming that a strike would limit important areas such as diagnosis, contact tracing, antiviral therapy tests, and a potential vaccine.

Healthcare workers have already struck in August, demanding timely wage payments and additional benefits, as they claim they have not received any salaries or bonuses since the outbreak began. Ebola fever is a life-threatening disease transmitted through bodily contact and bodily fluids, causing highly contagious fever, diarrhea, and bleeding.