Requisitions, union rights, demands: SAMES puts pressure on the State

The Autonomous Union of Doctors, Pharmacists and Dental Surgeons of Senegal (SAMES) denounces the lack of concrete responses to its list of demands submitted on July 10, 2026. In a press conference this Thursday, October 29, the Secretary General, Dr. Diabel Dramé, also criticized the requisitions deemed abusive during the last strike and demanded the reinstatement of the Secretary General of his section at COUD.

Tensions are rising within the Autonomous Union of Doctors, Pharmacists, and Dentists of Senegal (SAMES). Faced with what it considers a lack of willingness on the part of the State to address its demands, the union is raising its voice and appealing to public opinion. "We are not here to beg, we are here to denounce and to call upon public opinion to bear witness," declared its Secretary General in charge of press and information, Dr. Ibrahima Sow, at a press conference.

According to the union, 109 days have passed since the submission of its list of demands, accompanied by a strike notice, on July 10, 2026, without any significant progress. The three meetings held with the authorities have reportedly failed to produce any concrete solutions. SAMES particularly criticizes the meeting of October 16, during which representatives from the relevant ministries allegedly presented no new proposals. The document presented reportedly reiterated elements from a workshop held two weeks prior. The union describes this situation as "an insult to the intelligence of all healthcare personnel, and especially the medical staff."

Despite appeals to the High Council for Social Dialogue (HCDS) and the Dean's Office of the Faculty of Medicine, Pharmacy, and Dentistry at Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar (UCAD), the union deplores the authorities' inaction. It believes that easing social tensions in the health sector depends on a genuine commitment to addressing the concerns of healthcare professionals.

Special status, recruitment and pension increases: The main requirements

At the heart of SAMES' demands is the development of a special status for physicians, pharmacists, and dentists. The union also calls for their recruitment upon completion of their training, more transparent and democratic human resources management, and a revision of the regulations governing specialization. The concerns of professionals in training are also addressed. SAMES requests improved support for scholarships, housing, and internship allowances.

He also advocates for an increase in retirement pensions to 80% of final salary and for a fair compensation system, comparable to that of other civil servants in the same hierarchy. Regarding infrastructure, the union calls for the construction of suitable healthcare facilities, equipped with state-of-the-art technology and distributed in such a way as to guarantee greater territorial equity in access to quality care.

For SAMES, these demands also concern the operating conditions of the health system and the capacity of health facilities to ensure adequate care for the population.

COUD and requisitions: SAMES denounces attacks on trade union freedoms

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Beyond its list of demands, the union is protesting what it considers an attack on union freedoms at the University Social Services Center of Dakar (COUD). It accuses the management of this institution of arbitrarily removing the general secretary from its union branch. Dr. Ibrahima Sow believes this decision is a retaliatory measure against an official whose only fault, in his view, was defending the rights of his colleagues. SAMES demands his "immediate and unconditional" reinstatement and announces its intention to appeal to the relevant national and international bodies. The union specifically cites International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention No. 87, concerning freedom of association and protection of the right to organize, which Senegal has ratified.

Another source of anger was the requisitioning carried out during the previous week's general strike, led in conjunction with the Federation of Health Unions (FSDT). SAMES denounced the requisitions as "wild, illegal, and abusive," and reiterated that this procedure must comply with current legal provisions. "Requisitioning is not a political weapon; it is an exceptional procedure strictly regulated by law," the union representative emphasized.

The union warns that it will not recognize any requisition that does not respect legal procedure and intends to hold accountable the department heads, directors, and chief physicians who , according to them, participate in such practices. While reaffirming its commitment to republican values, SAMES maintains that it has always ensured that emergencies are handled in order to preserve human dignity.

But faced with what he sees as an attempt to further restrict the right to strike, he warns that assessments will be carried out on an ongoing basis and that his National Executive Bureau will make the decisions deemed necessary . Between unmet professional demands, challenges to requisitions, and the defense of union freedoms, the standoff between SAMES and the authorities remains unresolved.

The union is now waiting for concrete answers from the State to avoid a further deterioration of the social climate in the health sector.