The International Council of Nurses (ICN) has urgently called on Congolese authorities to compensate and protect healthcare workers battling Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This plea comes as the 17th Ebola outbreak declared on May 15 continues to overwhelm the country’s already strained health systems.

Howard Catton, ICN Chief Executive Officer, stressed that financial compensation is critical to sustaining the fight against the virus. “You cannot combat Ebola without paying those who are on the front lines,” he stated in a press release. The ICN represents over 140 national nursing associations, uniting more than 30 million nurses worldwide.

Frontline healthcare workers in the DRC report receiving no pay for two to three months, despite the extreme personal risks they take. “Nurses risk their lives to safeguard communities, yet months into this crisis, many remain unpaid,” Catton emphasized.

In response, the ICN has formally requested immediate action from the DRC’s Minister of Health, Roger Kamba, to address outstanding wages and provide consistent payments moving forward. The organization also demands essential protections, including adequate personal protective equipment (PPE), insurance, and hazard allowances.

This outbreak has already become the second-largest Ebola epidemic on record, with over 2,128 deaths and 4,566 confirmed cases reported within just three months. Only 264 million dollars of the $518 million required for the joint response plan—a collaboration between the Africa CDC and the World Health Organization (WHO)—have been secured so far.

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, warned that the current trajectory could surpass the devastating 2014–2016 West Africa Ebola outbreak. “This is the second-largest Ebola outbreak ever recorded, and it’s spreading faster than any previous one,” he cautioned.

No specific vaccine or treatment exists yet for the Bundibugyo Ebola variant driving this crisis. In the interim, the WHO is pushing for clinical trials using the Ervebo vaccine, currently approved for the Zaire strain. “We are finalizing the protocol for submission to DRC regulatory authorities,” said Vasee Moorthy, WHO’s Head of Research & Development.