Haiti/Covid-19: Professionals from the Center de Bon Repos still without the slightest salary

Health Professionals assigned to the care of Covid-19 patients at Bon-Repos are still not paid. The Ministry of Public Health and Population turns a deaf ear when their employment contract has expired for about a year.

It’s no secret that health has never been a priority for the Haitian state, the low budget allocated to the sector and the inhuman treatment afflicted to health professionals are irrefutable proof of this.

Amid a global pandemic, the first line of defence against disease is being treated as a poor relation in Haiti. More than 200 brave professionals have not received salaries for more than a year after their service. And yet, huge sums had been released for Haiti to manage a pandemic which fortunately did not produce the catastrophic effect that more than once feared.

From June to December 2021, no contract is honoured at the Bon Repos Covid-19 Care Center (located at the Police Hospital). Health personnel (Doctors, Nurses, Auxiliaries, Technologists, Pharmacists), and neither administrative nor support staff received any money. Overwhelmed by the situation, some of those concerned, requesting anonymity, sounded the alarm to demand they’re due and confided in our editorial staff.

“Contract workers were entitled to 2 contracts over 7 months. One from June to September 2021 and the other from October to December 2021; to date, neither of them have been honoured” they castigated.

Officials at the MSPP have not taken any action on the requests and claims of the contractors. The latter announce protest movements on several levels to demand their remuneration as soon as possible.