No End in Sight for
Panama Medical Strike
Panamanian public
hospital physicians are
in their fourth day
striking for higher pay
Friday, with no sign yet
of a solution to the
short-term crisis.
The strike was convened
by the National
Negotiating Medical
Commission (Comenenal),
demanding a 60 percent
pay hike for the 5,600
doctors working in
centers of the Health
Ministry and Social
Insurance Fund (CSS).
Among their arguments,
the physicians sustain
that training for their
career costs at least
20,000 dollars, which is
seen as an investment
sometimes funded by bank
loans that must be
recovered in the course
of their practice.
Meanwhile, the
government said any wage
increase should be
compensated with
qualified service and a
determined number of
medical consults.
During the three
previous days of strike,
the public health system
was unable to cope with
over 93,000 medical
appointments, and nearly
1,500 elective
surgeries, according to
official estimates.
Apart from their wage
demands, the doctors
call for higher
investment in equipment
and hospital supplies. |
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