Among the things he feared most was death': the doctors and nurses dying on the Ebola frontline

Ebola deaths struck hospital workers in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo within days. Dr Vladimir Maduali died early Sunday after becoming the fourth staff member killed by the disease at his hospital. Two days later, Dr Tibenderana Katho Blaise also died at the Bunia Evangelical medical centre. Maduali had recently graduated from the University of Bunia and worked in Rwampara, an area in Ituri province heavily affected by Ebola. He died at an isolation centre after two days on oxygen therapy. His colleague Dr Richard Lokudu reported additional staff infections and deaths, with testing not yet confirming all cases. Lokudu described working conditions as precarious and agonising, and said nurses had died and others remained very sick.

"When Dr Vladimir Maduali died of Ebola in the early hours of Sunday morning, he was the fourth member of staff at his hospital to be killed by the disease in as many days. Two days later, his colleague Dr Tibenderana Katho Blaisealso died of the disease at the Bunia Evangelical medical centre, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo."

"The 30-year-old died at Rwampara's isolation centre, where he had spent two days on oxygen therapy, according to his family. He was someone who was deeply committed to making a difference in the lives of communities, says his colleague Dr Richard Lokudu, medical director of Mongbwalu hospital, 45 miles (70km) from Ituri's capital, Bunia. He was devoted to his work."

"Lokudu says a further five members of his staff are thought to have contracted the virus, three of whom have died, although testing for the disease has yet to catch up with the infections or death toll. We who are fighting Ebola work like soldiers. It may well be that others, myself included, will follow Vladimir tomorrow Dr Richard Lokudu"

"Lokudu says the conditions under which they are working to combat Ebola are precarious and agonising. We who are fighting Ebola work like soldiers. It may well be that others, myself included, will follow Vladimir tomorrow. We are fighting for the same cause: to save human lives from this Ebola epidemic, he says."

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