Ziguinchor Peace Hospital: The inter-union group toughens its stance and announces a third action plan

After a month of mobilization marked by a 100% participation rate, the workers of the Ziguinchor Peace Hospital, united within the Inter-Union Alliance, are denouncing the lack of concrete progress in their negotiations with the authorities. Faced with what they call "empty promises," they are announcing a third action plan for October and demanding urgent measures to save the hospital.

"The time for promises is over."

Gathered around the Autonomous Union of Doctors, Pharmacists and Dental Surgeons of Senegal (SAMES), the National Union of Health Workers (SYNTRAS) and the Unified Union of Health and Social Action Workers (SUTSAS), the employees of the Peace Hospital have carried out an evaluation of their second strike action plan, observed from September 3 to 30, 2026. According to the Inter-union, the movement recorded an "absolute follow-up rate of 100%", testifying to a mobilization that it considers "massive, highly disciplined and historic".

In a statement read to the press by Dr. Ousmane Diba, Secretary General of SAMES and coordinator of the Inter-Union, the workers praised the unity and solidarity of the agents while regretting the lack of tangible results following the various meetings organized with management and health authorities.

The inter-union group asserts that it participated in good faith in the discussions initiated under the auspices of the Regional Labor and Social Security Inspectorate. However, it believes that the management of the establishment limited itself to conditional commitments without resulting in the signing of a formal memorandum of understanding.

The unions also denounce the meeting held on September 10 with the Directorate General of Health Establishments (DGES), which they consider a "parody of dialogue", marked according to them by the absence of firm and verifiable commitments from the supervisory authority.

"We will no longer tolerate discussions being used as a diversionary tactic," warns the Inter-Union, which summarizes its position in a formula that has become the guiding thread of its declaration: "The time for promises is over."

The MRI in Casamance at the heart of the demands

Among the twenty-two points in its list of demands, the inter-union group prioritizes the effective commissioning of the only Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine serving the entire Casamance region. The unions are demanding its immediate activation to improve diagnostic services in the region.

For the workers, this demand symbolizes the recurring difficulties faced by the establishment and the need to move from announcements to concrete achievements.

Four priority issues to save the hospital

Beyond the MRI, the inter-union group has identified four major projects that it considers impossible to postpone any longer. The first concerns the management of biomedical waste. The unions are demanding the installation of a modern incinerator to guarantee the safe treatment of healthcare waste.

The second urgent issue concerns the overall rehabilitation of the hospital. According to the workers, defective roofs, deteriorated ceilings, damaged internal roads, and aging plumbing systems illustrate the advanced state of disrepair of the infrastructure. They are therefore calling on the Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene to honor its rehabilitation commitments.

The third demand concerns the institution's financial situation. The inter-union group is requesting a special subsidy to allow for the gradual repayment of the debt, as well as a complete and transparent assessment of this debt accompanied by a genuine debt reduction plan.

Finally, the workers are highlighting the issue of governance. They are demanding greater transparency in the management of human, financial and material resources, the organization of staff representative elections, the effective functioning of the Establishment Technical Committee (CTE) as well as the implementation of a permanent internal audit.

"We want a hospital that works."

Union leaders insist that their struggle is not aimed at obtaining privileges, but at ensuring the normal functioning of the hospital for the benefit of the population.

“We want a functional hospital, operational equipment, decent infrastructure, respected and valued workers, transparent management and quality care for the population,” Dr. Diba emphasized in his statement.

According to the Inter-union group, the twenty-two demands relate in particular to medical equipment, biological tests, workers' financial rights, social security contributions, staffing levels, infrastructure, governance and modernization of the establishment.

A third action plan announced

Faced with what it considers a persistent lack of satisfactory responses, the Inter-union group announces the implementation of a third action plan during October 2026. Without detailing its content in the press release, it warns that its determination remains intact.

"Our determination is not directed against the hospital: it is for the hospital," says the union, which calls on the authorities to engage without delay in serious discussions likely to produce concrete decisions.

For Dr. Ousmane Diba and his colleagues, the issue now goes beyond professional demands. They say it's about ensuring that the Peace Hospital has the resources necessary to fulfill its public service mission and improve healthcare for the people of Ziguinchor and the entire Casamance region.

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