Tensions are rising in the health sector on the eve of a new protest announced by the And Gueussum union coalition. In a statement released this Wednesday, its coordinator, Mballo Dia Thiam, confirmed the continuation of the movement's tenth action plan through a 48-hour general strike scheduled for Thursday, May 21 and Friday, May 22, 2026.

According to the coalition's national leadership, this strike action will be observed nationwide, with emergency services remaining available, but without minimum service levels. Union officials believe this strategy reflects their desire to increase pressure on authorities to achieve their demands.

In its statement, the union coalition also announced a hardening of the movement with the boycott of several health programs deemed strategic. These include programs to combat tuberculosis and malaria, two major initiatives of the Senegalese health system.

The union representatives also stated that they will no longer participate in coordination meetings, training sessions, or campaigns related to the distribution of insecticide-treated mosquito nets. Training sessions for other stakeholders in the sector will also be boycotted during this phase of the action plan.

Beyond union demands, And Gueussum is particularly appealing to contract workers in local authorities. The movement's coordinator believes these workers must become more involved in the struggle and avoid leaving the union fight solely on the shoulders of some of their colleagues.

"The fight must not be done by proxy," insisted Mballo Dia Thiam, calling on the contract workers to "give it their all" to defend their interests.

The union representative points out that several employees who led previous social movements have already benefited from some progress since May 31, 2022, even though they continue to face unresolved social issues. He believes that local government contract workers should not be distracted by "purveyors of illusions," but rather consider this battle as their own fight.

This new strike comes in an already tense social context in the health sector, marked for several months by demands related to working conditions, administrative regularization and the improvement of social benefits for employees.