Healthcare Bill Might
Step Up Medical Strike
in Panama
A controversial bill on
a government-sponsored
healthcare act might
delay an end to the
medical strike that has
affected Panamanian
public hospitals over
the past 20 days.
Leaders of more than
5,000 Panamanian
physicians on strike
broke negotiations on a
wage rise on Friday,
after they learned about
the intentions of the
government, which they
accused of trying to
privatize the national
public health system.
Health Minister Rosario
Turner accused the
National Negotiating
Medical Commission (Comenenal)
of attending the talks
without a
counterproposal to the
12-percent wage rise
offered by the
government.
The doctors, who have
only treated emergency
cases and surgeries, and
hospitalized patients
since November 6,
lowered their demand for
higher salaries from 60
to 40 percent.
Comenenal Coordinator
Julio Garcia noted that
in the new bill,
published by local media
on Saturday, healthcare
services would be
charged to Social
Security Fund, leading
to the future
privatization of the
system.
Turner denied the
accusations and said the
initiative is subject to
recommendations. She
said that 478,000
outpatient consults and
5,000 surgeries have
been lost since the
strike began. |
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