Pointe-à-Pitre (AFP)

A general strike began Tuesday at Guadeloupe CHU and access to the establishment was blocked by thirty people, told AFP the management and unions who denounce the working conditions of staff for a year. fire in 2017.

Questioned Tuesday by the Senator of Guadeloupe Dominique Theophile on "the catastrophic situation of the CHU" and "the ras-le-bol" of the staff, the Minister of Health Agnès Buzyn hailed "the commitment of the teams who carry out an absolutely remarkable work care of patients in difficult conditions due to the dispersal of sites on the island ".

Victim of a major fire on November 28, 2017, the CHU Guadeloupe has been operating in a disrupted manner. Several services have been relocated to unsuitable transitional premises, according to staff.

At the call of an inter-union (CGTG - General Union of Guadeloupe workers), strikers closed the grids of the CHU Tuesday morning. "All services are involved in the movement, mainly to the administrative, because the care staff has a minimum service obligation," said Gaby Clavier, Union of Health Workers (branch of the UGTG), ensuring that the movement was "well followed".

"The blockage is underway, I made a finding of usher and I will seize the court to ask to open the hospital," reacted Gérard Cotellon, director of the CHU which says have only three strikers officially declared .

The conflict began on July 10 at the emergency room (SAU) and maternity ward, relocated since the fire. In the UAA, carers and stretcher bearers protest against the small size of the premises and the lack of human and material resources.

"The plan of reorganization of the supply of care and the structural situation of the establishment should be stabilized in 2020," said Ms. Buzyn.

"This plan has been the subject of significant funding to the tune of 54 million euros for the delivery of a new parent-child center in October 2020" and "the rehabilitation of the first emergency services by the end The blocks will be operational again in the first half of 2020, "she said.

The institution also faces significant budgetary difficulties. With a debt supplier "which is close to 49 million euros", he "can not assume in good conditions the supply of food and medicine for patients," said Senator Théophile.

"Additional cash assistance was paid to the establishment in early July, which will reach EUR 48 million in aid for the first six months of 2019," said Buzyn.

© 2019 AFP