Activities resumed at the Justinien University Hospital (HUJ) on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, after more than 3 weeks of protest movements by the contractual staff of said hospital.
All services reopened their doors to welcome new patients on May 6, 2026. Attendance is lower than usual, but it is a moment of relief for hundreds of patients, confined at home for several weeks and unable to afford to go to a hospital. In an interview given to Magik9 radio on April 21, 2026, the president of the HUJ union, Herick Jean, explained the reasons for these protest movements, including a strike that paralyzed all activities for two weeks. “The contract employees had first signed a twelve-month contract without receiving payment, before signing a second one in October 2025. Since not everyone started at the same time, the average arrears amount to fifteen months. About 150 people are affected, including doctors, nurses, administrative officers, and support staff. These contract employees represent between 70% and 80%of the hospital staff,” he had stated on the Magik9 airwaves. At the same time, during his visit to the Grand’Anse department, on the occasion of activities related to the celebration of Vaccination Week in the Americas, the Minister of Public Health and Population, Dr. Bertrand Sinal, reassured contract employees that all procedures within the competence of the MSPP had been completed and that the checks were being printed at the Ministry of Finance. “It is unacceptable to close the doors of a hospital and deprive patients of all care, including emergency care. Salaries will be paid, but the death of a pregnant woman constitutes an irreparable loss,” argued Dr. Bertrand Sinal, while urging the staff to return to work.After several meetings between the management of Justinien University Hospital and the contractual employees, a temporary resolution was found.
In a letter addressed to the department heads, the executive director, Dr. Calil Turenne, announced a “full resumption of activities within the institution (…).”
“The management is committed to finding a negotiated solution to end the strike, given the tensions within the health system at the level of the Nord department,” he specified.
The contractual employees have returned to work, while announcing that they will resume protest movements if, by June 30, 2026, the situation of the contractual employees claiming back salaries remains unchanged.
