Health sector workers and executives, including doctors, nurses, laboratory technicians and administrative staff in the Kwilu province, have been on strike with minimum service since Friday, October 18. This is a way for these health professionals to demand an improvement in their salary conditions from the Congolese government.

At a general assembly held at the Bandundu General Reference Hospital, health workers voted unanimously to follow the national strike call. Dr. Rachidi Kibalubu, president of the coordination of health sector unions in Kwilu, explains that this movement, initiated at the national level, has spread to the Kwilu province:

"All health executives and workers gathered today around the coordination of health sector unions. We have taken this strike movement to bring it to the national level as requested. So far, the government has invited our national representatives, but no concrete action has been taken."

Dr Kibalubu warns that if the government does not react, the strike could escalate from a minimum service to a total strike with the closure of health facilities. He says the responsibility for this situation lies with the government and calls on the authorities to assume their responsibilities to avoid a health crisis.