Title: Congolese public sector nurses call on the government to align risk premiums
Introduction :
Public sector nurses’ unions in the Democratic Republic of Congo staged a sit-in outside the Prime Minister’s office in Kinshasa to demand the government align new units with hazard pay across the country. This request follows the government’s failure to meet its previous commitments on bonuses, tenure and promotion in ranks for nurses.
Analysis of the situation :
The unions, represented by Solidarité Syndicale des Infirmiers du Congo (SOLSICO), point out that the government has not honored its commitments made at previous meetings, notably in Bibua I, II and III. Among the commitments not respected are the alignment of new units with the risk premium, the mechanization of unpaid nurses, the tenure of posts and promotion in grades, as well as the admission of new units under statute.
The Secretary General of SOLSICO, Anaclet Shisso, deplores the fact that despite the discussions and the agreements reached, the government, represented by the Minister of Health, the Minister of Finance and the Minister of the Budget, has not kept its promises. This situation led the nurses to organize this sit-in and to threaten to relaunch the strike suspended a few days ago.
A critical situation for nurses:
Anaclet Shisso emphasizes that the lack of respect for government commitments has direct consequences for nurses. Not only do they not receive the proper financial recognition with the lack of risk premium alignment, but they also find themselves in a precarious situation with unsecured positions and blocked promotion opportunities. This situation jeopardizes not only their economic well-being, but also the quality of health care they are able to provide to the population.
A request for urgent action:
Faced with this situation, the nurses call on the government to take urgent measures to solve these problems. They call in particular for the immediate implementation of the alignment with the risk premium for new units, the mechanization of unpaid nurses, the tenure of posts and the promotion in grades. They also remind the government of the importance of honoring its commitments and engaging in an open dialogue with the unions to find lasting solutions.
Conclusion :
The situation of Congolese nurses in the public sector is critical, with government commitments not respected in terms of bonuses, tenure and promotion in grades. Nurses expressed their displeasure during a sit-in in Kinshasa and threatened to relaunch the strike. They are calling on the government to take urgent action to align new units with hazard premium and address mechanization and tenure issues