Social tensions are rising at the Senegalese Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (ARP). In a public statement, the SAMES-SUTSAS Joint Struggle Alliance is raising the alarm about what it calls "abuses" in the administrative management of the institution responsible for ensuring drug safety in Senegal. At the heart of the controversy are salary deductions made from several employees without prior explanation or formal procedure, in a context already marked by a toxic social climate.

According to the union, management unilaterally deducted amounts ranging from 35,000 to 300,000 CFA francs from the salaries of some workers. This measure, perceived as "selective," "unjustified," and "lacking in transparency," is fueling deep discontent among staff. The union believes this decision violates workers' rights and exacerbates social tensions within the agency.

The union places this case within a broader context of persistent dysfunctions it says it has been denouncing for several months: a lack of social dialogue, an absence of consultation, and a lack of transparency in human resources management. Added to this, according to the union, are "suspicions of dysfunctions" related to the regulation and distribution of medications, which, if left unresolved, risk further eroding the institution's credibility.

The SAMES–SUTSAS Joint Struggle Alliance also mentions the Softcare affair, widely reported in the public sphere, which has allegedly contributed to tarnishing the image of the ARP (Algerian Press Agency). Without commenting on the substance of the case, it believes that this affair calls for a response based on transparency and accountability, in order to restore trust in the Agency.

For union members, the withholding of wages, in the absence of a clear and shared framework, cannot be considered a simple administrative act. It is perceived as a coercive measure that undermines the dignity of employees and, in their view, amounts to a disguised sanction in the context of exercising the right to strike, a right guaranteed by the Constitution.

Recalling that the Assembly of the Representatives of the People (ARP) is a strategic institution at the heart of national health security, the SAMES-SUTSAS Joint Struggle Alliance insists on the need for exemplary governance, integrity, and respect for the rules. "Any lack of transparency weakens the mission of protecting public health," it warns.

Consequently, the union demands the immediate cessation of salary deductions and the regularization of the affected situations. It requests detailed written explanations regarding the basis for these decisions, calls for an independent audit of human resources and financial management, and seeks institutional clarification on the suspicions raised and on the so-called "Softcare" affair. Finally, it urges the supervisory authorities to fully exercise their oversight role.

The union calls on its members to unite and mobilize responsibly, within the bounds of the law, while also sending a message to the public: "When the medicines agency is weakened, national health security is threatened." This warning now places the authorities face to face with their responsibilities in preserving trust in the country's pharmaceutical regulatory body.