EGYPT: Patients in public hospitals face a reduction in medical services after doctors walked out demanding higher pay and greater security, after a series of attacks on hospital staff since the February 2011 revolution

Record ID: 340918

  • Title: EGYPT: Patients in public hospitals face a reduction in medical services after doctors walked out demanding higher pay and greater security, after a series of attacks on hospital staff since the February 2011 revolution
  • Date: 8th October 2012
  • Summary: CAIRO, EGYPT (OCTOBER 2, 2012) (REUTERS) MAIN ENTRANCE OF AL-MOUNIRAH PUBLIC HOSPITAL POSTER PLACED AT THE MAIN ENTRANCE OF THE HOSPITAL READS; "AN OPEN STRIKE BY DOCTORS, IT IS TO HELP THE PATIENT BEFORE THE DOCTOR" DOCTORS ENDING THEIR URGENT MEETING CONCERNING THE STRIKE HOSPITAL CORRIDOR (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) DIRECTOR OF THE OUTPATIENTS' CLINICS, DR. ESSAM FEKRY,
  • Embargoed: 23rd October 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Egypt
  • Country: Egypt
  • Topics: Health,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA298OM74GYN8VXCTE15UCMSO7R
  • Story Text: Egypt's doctors in public hospitals on Tuesday (October 2) continued their nationwide partial strike for a second day, demanding higher wages, an increased health budget and improved security conditions to protect doctors and patients from assaults.
    "We have certain demands; such as developing the standards of the health system entirely, including physicians, nurses, technician and all of those who working to care for the human's health alongside raising the budget of the Ministry of Health, securing hospitals and protecting the hospitals from being attacked," Director of Outpatients Clinics, Dr. Essam Fekry, said.
    The doctors have stopped providing non-emergency services at al Mounirah hospital in Cairo.
    "It is al-Mounirah Hospital, this is the first time for this hospital to witness a strike, I cannot believe my eyes, this hospital is the lifeblood (main source) of treatment for the patients of this district, I do not know who is in charge of this strike, I cannot find the person who is responsible for this strike," said one patient, Galal Mohamed.
    One patient was worried she would not be able to get her medicine.
    "I have no idea about this strike, but they said in a televised notice that strike will start after working hours, which pushed me to come to here at this time, but what can I do for now, when I ask the help of anybody (physician) he says I can come again on Thursday or Saturday, but Saturday is a national holiday to celebrate the victory of October 6th, so how I can get my medicine," Roayah Metwaly asked.
    The strike, organised by the Doctors' Syndicate, calls for allocating 15 percent of the state budget for healthcare, an increase of about 10 percent on the current budget.
    Doctors, nurses and technicians in 51 percent of Egypt's state-run hospitals participated in the strike on Monday (October 1) and said they would continue until their demands were met.
    "There is no sign yet of any response to this strike, this is the second day of this strike, it is an open sit-in, the ministry is the body that should respond to us, but we are hand-in-hand insisting on our specified demands that we will never make concessions on," Assistant Secretary-General of the Doctor's Syndicate, Dr. Yahya Makkeyah, said.
    Labour unrest has caused disruptions throughout much of President Mohamed Mursi's rule so far.
    Egypt's economy has suffered deeply after last year's populist uprising and the government is now in talks over a 4.8 billion U.S. Dollar loan from the International Monetary Fund.
    The country now faces a severe economic crisis including worsening balance of payments problems and an exodus of foreign investors that has left local banks shouldering much of the lending to the state.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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