In Guadeloupe, hospitals victims of sabotage

The health authorities denounce malicious acts within health establishments against the backdrop of a debate on the compulsory vaccination of health personnel. According to the prefect, procedures are underway.

Waste oil in offices, sticks in locks and "malicious acts"  : the health authorities of the department of Guadeloupe denounced, Wednesday, October 6, "actions of sabotage" within health establishments, in the midst of fierce debates on the vaccination obligation.

People "carry out acts of sabotage inside establishments" , declared, during the weekly update on the health situation, the general director of the regional health agency (ARS) of Guadeloupe, Valérie Denux. “They have dumped used motor oil in the human resources departments of the [Pointe-à-Pitre] CHU in recent days; they put glue in the locks; they block certain accesses ” , she detailed, estimating that these actions involve “ disorganization or even loss of chances for the patients ” .

"I understand that we can express ourselves, added Ms. Denux, but there are really reprehensible acts [which] can put you in danger" .

The debate on the health pass and the vaccination obligation is virulent in the archipelago, the social protest being expressed even in health establishments, in particular at the CHU of Pointe-à-Pitre, where the staff remains overwhelmingly unvaccinated.

"Verbal and physical assault"

In a motion dated Saturday, the doctors of the medical commission of establishment of the hospital denounce "verbal and physical attacks" . "The challenge to the law on compulsory vaccination in healthcare establishments, intended to protect patients who come to entrust us with their health, cannot justify the obstacles to movement inside the establishment and malicious acts. towards caregivers going to the bedside ”, they write. They call for an end to these actions, in order to be able to "give care in serenity" .

According to the prefect of Guadeloupe, Alexandre Rochatte, procedures "are underway, with complaints filed by the establishments concerned" .

The vaccination rate in the department remains relatively low with less than 44% of adults first vaccinated, according to health authorities. At the same time, indicators are improving in the archipelago, which is due to begin a first phase of deconfinement on October 8.

In Guadeloupe, more than 800 people have died in hospital since the start of the epidemic, including 525 since the start of the fourth wave, according to the ARS.