Ebola Crisis Deepens as WHO Chief Flags Slow Response, Aid Workers Walk Out

WHO Sounds Alarm as Ebola Outbreak Outpaces Response in DR Congo

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is spreading at a pace faster than efforts to contain it, with strikes by frontline health workers over unpaid salaries adding to the growing crisis.

Speaking during a visit to Kinshasa on Wednesday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the outbreak had entered a critical phase, with infections doubling in some hotspots nearly three months after it was declared.

“We must urgently and massively scale up the response across all fronts,” Tedros said, calling for stronger coordination among governments, aid agencies and local communities.

According to the Congolese Health Ministry, the country has reported 3,874 confirmed Ebola cases and 1,751 deaths as of Monday. The outbreak is now the fastest-growing Ebola epidemic ever recorded and the second-largest overall after the 2014-16 West Africa outbreak.

Strike by Health Workers Deepens Emergency

The worst-hit region is Ituri province, where many frontline health workers have gone on strike, demanding better wages after months of delayed payments. The walkout has disrupted medical services in an area already struggling with insecurity, armed conflict and poor healthcare infrastructure.

Residents say the impact has been severe. Anicet Baluku, a resident of Bunia, told the Associated Press that two of his brothers died from Ebola after the strike affected access to treatment. He appealed to authorities to resolve the dispute quickly to prevent further loss of life.

Global Response Intensifies

The United States has pledged an additional $242 million for Ebola response, preparedness and humanitarian assistance, taking its total contribution to more than $512 million.

The outbreak is being driven by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment. Health officials believe the virus had been circulating in remote communities before the outbreak was formally declared on May 15.

Medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) warned that although response efforts are expanding, they are still failing to reach affected communities quickly enough to stop transmission.

Officials Call for Faster Detection

Africa CDC Director-General Dr Jean Kaseya said contact tracing remains a major concern, with 60-70% of new infections emerging from people who were not already being monitored as contacts of confirmed patients.

Health authorities say delayed diagnosis continues to drive the outbreak’s high fatality rate of around 45%. In the latest reporting period, 44 of 77 newly confirmed cases resulted in deaths. At the same time, 717 patients remain in isolation while 749 have recovered.

Tedros urged governments and aid agencies to strengthen surveillance, improve contact tracing, protect healthcare workers and place affected communities at the centre of the response. “Without the trust, leadership and partnership of local communities, it will be impossible to bring this outbreak under control,” he said.