Burkina Faso: pharmaceutical depot managers demand official status after decades of low pay
During their sixth general assembly held on Saturday, 6 June 2026 in Ouagadougou, members of the Union of Managers and Cashiers of Public Pharmaceutical Depots of Burkina Faso once again called on authorities to address their working conditions. At the heart of their demands is the adoption of an official status for a profession they consider essential to the health system.
The assembly, held under the theme “Resilience of Volunteers Serving the People”, gave participants a platform to voice growing concerns over what they describe as an increasingly alarming situation.
Ousmane Bolly, president of the Union, pointed out that many managers have been working for decades without a clearly defined professional framework. “The people you see here have been working for 20 or 30 years, but some do not even earn the minimum wage,” he lamented.
The organisation says it represents more than 3,000 managers across all health districts in the country.
The absence of a status at the core of difficulties
Union leaders say the main issue is the lack of a regulatory text governing the profession of public pharmaceutical depot manager or cashier. This leaves workers highly vulnerable, facing what they describe as abusive dismissals when they demand better working conditions.
According to Ousmane Bolly, some agents even fear publicly revealing their membership in the Union for fear of professional reprisals.
Insufficient salaries
Participants also highlighted the low pay these workers receive, with monthly earnings often between 20,000 and 25,000 CFA francs. They say this is no longer enough to cope with the rising cost of living.
Yet, they stress that pharmaceutical depot managers ensure the daily distribution of medicines and welcome patients at health facilities that are often under heavy demand.
Years of efforts with little progress
The Union reports having taken numerous steps since 2020 to improve its situation.
- Meetings with the ministries of Health and Public Service;
- Audiences at the Presidency of Faso;
- Participation in several workshops on the management of pharmaceutical facilities.
Despite these efforts, Union leaders regret the lack of concrete outcomes. They say they have completed a full census of their members and forwarded the data to the relevant authorities to facilitate a regularisation framework.
They now call for stronger state involvement in upgrading this profession, arguing that the revenue generated by pharmaceutical depots alone is insufficient to bring lasting improvements to working conditions.
Closing the general assembly, Ousmane Bolly thanked participants for their mobilisation and urged authorities to respond promptly to their concerns.
