A few months after the demonstration organised by the Synamed, (the National Union of Doctors) healthcare staff in the public sector report facing the same difficulties in carrying out their work and criticise the lack of measures taken to enable them to work and live decently.
Strikes in public hospitals, a peaceful demonstration in Kinshasa, and a solidarity campaign launched by Viva Salud and its partners Stars of the South and If only youth knew, nothing – or very little – seems to be prompting the Congolese government to take action in the face of an increasingly complex situation within the public healthcare system.
A lack of government action for healthcare staff
Apart from a message posted on Twitter announcing his intention to « work on solutions », the Department of Health does not seem willing to tackle the issue head-on. Among the requests made by the doctors« unions, at the top of the list is " pay rise » and « reduction in workload », staff are criticising the lack of action taken in this regard, and some are even complaining about the complete lack of pay.
« How am I supposed to do my job as a doctor properly when I haven’t been paid for the hours I’ve worked for the past four years? »?« exclaims a doctor in his thirties who recently gave up his status as a “ new unit » and is now eligible for the risk allowance. A monthly amount of around 600 dollars which, in his view, is insufficient to meet his needs. In the DRC, the term ‘new units’ refers to recently recruited staff who carry out their duties without receiving a salary whilst awaiting the issue of a service number by the state.
A focus on performance
Another problem is the unethical remuneration system introduced by some hospitals, where staff are paid solely on the basis of the percentage of occupied beds. As a result, more and more doctors and nurses are finding themselves forced to take on additional work to escape this financial insecurity.
The doctor Mbungu Jean Bosco For his part, he juggles daily consultations at a private clinic in Limete once his shift has finished at the hospital where he is based:
«The risk premium isn’t enough. If the Government were to reinstate support for transport and housing, that would already lighten our workload and spare us from having to look elsewhere for the money we need to make ends meet.»
Mbungu Jean Bosco, general practitioner, Kinshasa
This article was written by Clément Grégoire – a freelance journalist and volunteer for Viva Salud
