Strike by Panama's
Doctors Leaves 22,000
People Without Medical
Care
At least 22,000
Panamanians were unable
to get medical treatment
as doctors across the
country began a two-day
strike seeking better
salaries, the state-run
Health Insurance Company
(CSS) told media
Tuesday.
Julio Valarini, leader
of the National Medical
Negotiation Commission,
said that 80 percent of
the doctors at Panama's
main health centers
participated in the
strike, which began at
7:00 a.m. local time
(1300 GMT) Tuesday and
planned to last until
7:00 a.m. (1300 GMT)
Thursday.
The purpose of the
strike is to demand a
salary increase, from
900 to 1,500 U.S.
dollars per month.
Ruben Dario Lopez, the
CSS head of medical
benefits, said the
organization had halted
all consultations and
cut down on the use of
emergency rooms,
operating theatres and
dialysis services.
However, the country's
Health Minister Rosario
Turner said the
government could not
comply with doctors'
demands because the
measures were "excessive
and unfeasible from a
financial point of
view".
The Commission and the
government are
discussing a 10-point
document which also
calls for improvements
in service provision. |
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