Libreville, Gabon — The Gabonese Social Emergency Medical Service (Samu social) announced on Wednesday it will suspend all patient intake from 18:00 local time, saying an urgent stock-take is needed to ensure care meets current standards. Official statements indicate the pause affects roughly 2 500 daily out-patients, 400 people who receive free home visits through the 1488 hot-line, new-borns placed in incubators, emergency intensive-care admissions and no-cost cataract surgeries.
The agency asked users to use regular public hospitals “which charge fees but remain operational”.
Dr Wenceslas Yaba, coordinator of the charity — run unit, said in a communiqué the measure aims to “evaluate operational capacity” and “secure optimal conditions” before services restart. He added the review is meant to curb preventable deaths and strengthen overall performance.
No timeline for resumption was given.
Further details are expected.
