The gradual application of the vaccination obligation for caregivers of the University Hospital Center, in particular, has been a source of clashes with the unions, and Mr. Cotellon has been the subject of numerous threats.
Le Monde and AFP
Gérard Cotellon, Director of the Guadeloupe University Hospital (CHU) during the health and social crisis, is about to leave the island. He was appointed Managing Director of the Regional Health Agency of the meeting as of April 11, in the Council of Ministers.
Born in 1960, this native of Abymes (Municipality of Grande-Terre) and former nurse climbed the ladder. He had arrived at the head of the CHU in 2018, one year after the hospital fire, which destabilized the whole Guadeloupe health system. At the time, his coming had been hailed by local elected officials and the unions of the staff of the hospital, Recalls the first . But his years at the head of the establishment were mainly marked by the sanitary and social crisis that hit the Guadeloupe hard, where mortality was high, and where the vaccination obligation caused an opposition movement of magnitude on the island.
Police intervention in January
The gradual application of this obligation for CHU caregivers, in particular, caused deep tensions, and Gérard Cotellon was the subject of numerous threats. At the end of 2021, several degradations of the administrative premises had taken place. On January 4, the police had had to intervene to help him and his assistant director, Cédric Zolezzi, out of the offices besieged by protesters.
“I was extracted with a punch in the ribs and a huge blow on his head, I lost consciousness for ten seconds, I think,” said Gérard Cotellon. His deputy, Cédric Zolezzi, had also reported to have been molesté: “I was torn my shirt, I received from the urine on me while I ran to a police car.” Gérard Cotellon, who received from many elected support messages, had to receive close protection.
Gaby Keyboard, former Secretary of the Health Branch of the General Union of Guadeloupe workers (UGTG), present on the premises with the protesters, had explained to “claim the money we must”. The protesters demanded the payment of the wages of the suspended agents, after their refusal to comply with the immunization obligation.
A few days later, several hundred people had participated in a citizen rally to say “Stop” to the violence against the island’s hospital staff
Venust criticism of the union
Gaby Keyboard is judged since the month of December in correctional, in Pointe-à-Pitre, for “death threat” against Mr. Cotellon. The defense having cited many witnesses, the trial has been adjourned three times. The witnesses cited by the Defense have mainly denounced the general functioning of the institution, far from the accused facts.
Everyone has come to tell the lack of CHU material, the working conditions at the hospital, where “there is not always water,” the “roadmap” of the director to “remove 400 Positions “, according to Leïla Pau, Medical Secretary and member of the Hygiene, Security and Working Conditions Committee (CHSCT) of the hospital, which went so far as to speak of” euthanasia of the sick “. A fourth day of hearing is scheduled for early May.
Wednesday, the union of health workers-ugtg described the departure of Gérard Cotelon of “second extirpation”, reports the first , with reference to the events of January 4th. For the union, Mr. Cotellon’s years at the head of the CHU are a “failure” at all points of view.