Public hospital workers withdraw services

The medical and health personnel are demanding improvement in their working conditions since Monday.

The hospitals in the capital since Monday have been putting in less hours due to their demand for better working conditions. At the main entrance of the Yaounde Central Hospital, about twenty people in white coats are standing with signs with messages indicating their demand for improvement of their conditions of life and work.

"We want all contractual workers in the Public Service to be paid, stop abuse of health personnel and premiums to all health care staff, etc. makes up a total of 16 claims relating in particular to the discriminatory distribution of bonuses and other assessments. We demand that the premiums and other work-related benefits are distributed to all who workers in public hospitals. Likewise, we demand support personnel and their assistants," says Sylvain Nga Ako, president of the National Union of staff of establishments / companies in the health sector of Cameroon (Cap / Health).

There is also speculations that "our salaries are donated to the Public Service in order to have a living wage that will allow us to feed our families. We demand a reclassification of medical and health personnel working for 18 to 20 years with a salary of FCFA 30 000 or 40 000. We will not be exploited in our country," Prospère Ekassi, contract nurse and member of the National Union of personal medical and health of Cameroon (Synpems).

Meanwhile, Pr. Pierre Joseph Fouda, Director of the Yaounde Central Hospital, said "a number of issues were identified and are on the negotiating table at the Ministry of Public Health. Central Hospital is one of the institutions invited to this negotiation. Leadership is conscious and has always taken head on the issue. A meeting will be held June 2 with unions and officials of the Ministry of Health and other ministries involved in the management of different issues raised."