Several hundred people took part, Saturday, January 8, in Guadeloupe in a citizens’ rally to say « stop » violence once morest hospital staff on the island, once morest a backdrop of the crisis around the vaccination obligation, noted a journalist from Agence France-Presse (AFP).
During this event organized by a citizen collective at the ACTe Memorial, caregivers came to testify to a climate “Of terror” at the University Hospital Center (CHU) and deplored the general climate of disinformation around the health crisis.
“We must free the hospital, we refuse terror”, hammered Serge Romana, geneticist Guadeloupe, officiating in Paris, but present at the rally to the applause of the crowd.
Tuesday, the director of the CHU of Guadeloupe Gérard Cotellon and his two assistants had to be exfiltrated by the police from their offices besieged by militants once morest the vaccine obligation.
“Cotellon is attacked because he is competent but above all because he is “Guadeloupe guy” [Guadeloupéen de souche] », said Mr. Romana recalling the treacherous lawsuit made by opponents of the vaccination obligation to the director of the CHU, who, according to them, applies the “Laws of the colonial state”.
Union “methods” denounced
Teachers or former trade unionists have also denounced ” methods “ unions that are missing “Ethics in all public services, particularly at the CHU”, occupied since November 15 by staff affiliated to the health branch of the UGTG union (General Union of Workers of Guadeloupe).
“Frankly, it’s good to see that people are starting to speak publicly regarding this constant pressure to come to work and this feeling of never being free and comfortable at work”, underlined Doctor Tania Foucan, forensic pathologist.
A little further, the collective once morest the vaccine obligation was also mobilized, trying to reach the memorial and supervised by some members of the police. “They leave us without pay, without a job, we will not let them go”, Gaby Clavier, former secretary general of the health branch of the UGTG, told AFP, referring to the suspensions linked to the refusal of healthcare workers to be vaccinated.
In Guadeloupe, the fifth wave caused between Monday and Friday more than 7,000 contaminations. The Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 represents 100% of samples and the pressure on the SAMU and intensive care admissions is accelerating, according to an epidemiological bulletin from the Regional Health Agency and the prefecture. In this context, the curfew decreed between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. will be brought forward from Monday at 8 p.m., announced the prefecture.
