SAMES union announces strike plan over government inaction

The Autonomous Union of Doctors, Pharmacists, and Dentists of Senegal (SAMES) has announced plans for industrial action following what it describes as government inaction regarding its demands. In a recent statement, the union criticized the silence and indifference of the Ministries of Health and Civil Service toward their grievances.

Key issues cited by SAMES include deteriorating working conditions in regions such as Matam, Tambacounda, Kolda, Saint-Louis, Kédougou, and Ziguinchor, as well as at the Dakar University Center (COUD). The union highlighted several systemic problems, including precarious contracts, unfulfilled recruitment promises, chronic human resource deficits, and the potential removal of legally acquired bonuses. Additionally, delays in paying internship bonuses for specializing medical professionals remain a major point of contention. SAMES intends to unveil a formal struggle plan on September 1.