Cameroon: Doctors are mobilizing for fresh strikes nationwide

Medical doctors in Cameroon will continue their strike as planned. May 15, 16 and 17, 2017 are set for another strike action by the medical practitioners. The announcement was made by the Cameroon Medical Doctors Trade Union (SYMEC), maintaining its decision to carry on with the strike action.

The doctors are demanding among other things, an increase in salary and a review of the retirement age. They argue that “it is absolutely unacceptable that in a country with insufficient doctors, some medical practitioners should go on retirement at the age of 55.”

Doctors must not wait for emergence by2035 to receive health insurance coverage, they say, adding that it is unbelievable that some doctors in the public service “are paid CFA 110000.”

Last month they observed another three-day strike.

The Minister of Public Health has always considered the trade union as an illegal group, which has no legal backing to organize any strike action.

However, SYMEC has received the backing of the legal body regulating the activity of doctors in Cameroon.

Cameroon is grappling with many health hazards. And most of its medical doctors go abroad for greener pastures.