The incident reflects the absence of a safe working environment inside the hospitalA new victim of the lack of attention to workers’ social conditions

The death of Tunisian nurse Azhar Ben Hamida, who suffered burns during her night shift at the local hospital in Redeyef, has sparked widespread anger across Tunisia.

The National Tunisian Coordination for Health Staff described Azhar's death on Facebook as a “complete administrative and professional crime,” resulting from gross negligence, mismanagement, and blatant disregard for the lives of health workers.

The coordination emphasized that the incident reflects the absence of a safe working environment inside the hospital and the lack of even basic occupational safety measures, including early warning systems, fire detectors, and the regular maintenance of vital equipment and systems.

It also stated that anyone who neglected, ignored, or cited austerity at the expense of human safety bears full legal, ethical, and administrative responsibility, firmly rejecting any attempt to justify the tragedy or downplay its severity.

Meanwhile, the General Health Union expressed deep sorrow on Facebook over Azhar’s death, pointing out that she is a new victim of authoritarianism and the lack of attention to the social conditions of healthcare workers.

The union stressed that work distribution within health institutions is unjust, and that the absence of social dialogue and the lack of essential tools and protective measures make daily tasks dangerous for employees.

It called for a comprehensive investigation into the causes that led to Azhar’s burns to ensure that such tragedies do not recur.

On its part, the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights condemned Azhar Ben Hamida’s death, considering it a crime of state negligence and a new victim of a collapsing healthcare system.

The forum noted that this tragedy reveals poor management of public health services and the failure of official policies, despite repeated warnings and protests from residents and unions in the region without any effective measures taken.

The forum demanded an independent and thorough investigation, rejecting any policy of scapegoating or covering up the real officials responsible.