A nurses' strike has brought health services in Kindu, a city in Maniema province in eastern DR Congo, almost to a halt. Several health centres have shut their doors. Attendance at Kindu General Referral Hospital has fallen sharply, Radio Okapi reported on Monday.
Activity in many of the city's health facilities is almost at a standstill. Many patients are struggling to get basic care. Child vaccination services have also been hit. Some parents now travel long distances to get their children vaccinated.
One mother in Kindu told Radio Okapi that her child had missed vaccination because of the strike. She said families have to go as far as the Ngondombou health centre. "We go around the centres, but we cannot find vaccines," she said.
Hospital managers say the referral hospital now cares for only about 20 patients. The medical director said it usually receives between 100 and 200. He said the hospital is running with reduced teams and has to rely on intern doctors. He added that this makes caring for patients very difficult.
Residents fear what a long strike will mean for access to care. Some patients say they cannot find a facility able to treat them. Others want the authorities to settle the dispute quickly. "We ask the government to think about the nurses," one resident said.
The strike comes as Maniema faces a surge in suspected cholera cases in several health zones. Observers say services must resume quickly so the sick get treatment and the province's health situation does not worsen, according to Radio Okapi.