CAIRO: At its extraordinary general assembly on Sunday, Egypt's Doctor's Syndicate decided to enter into a strike on May 10 until all their demands are met. The doctors' demands were briefed in four main issues including “the resignation of the Health Minister Ashraf Hatem, securing hospitals from the attacks of thugs, a fair system of wages and raising the general budget of health in the country.” “Our ultimate goal is not an increase in our wages,” said Mohamed Hassan Khalil, a syndicate board member. “We call for a respectable health care system that respects the patient and appreciates the doctor,” he added. “This will be our first strike after the revolution, so it should be a civilized one that sets a model for all others,” Khalil told the attending doctors. The doctors' will go to their workplace, sign in for attendance and strike in front of the hospitals, holding signs of their demands and convincing patients that the doctors' strike is also in their favor. After many disputes and quarrels between the syndicate's board and its members, it was decided to enter an open strike on May 17 if their demands were not met, Essam al-Erian, a leading syndicate board member said, warning the attendance from the consequences of this action. “You all should be aware of the meaning of an open strike that will lead to hindering an entire sector of the state,” said al-Erian. Both strikes will not include the emergency rooms, reception, critical cases and urgent operations. It was said by the syndicate's board that the strike will only include those who work in governmental hospitals and clinics, but the members objected saying “Those who have a conscience among us will not go to the hospital in the morning to join the strike then work at night in their private clinics to gather money.” The syndicate decided to form a new separate committee to supervise the strike and called upon the members to convince their colleagues who didn't attend to join them in the strike. Disciplinary measures for non-participants The assembly's meeting witnessed a suggestion to punish the doctors who do not participate in the strike by transferring them to a disciplinary council. This was then voted on by the doctors but the voices weren't counted and were delayed by the board, which later led the doctors to argue against this action. One member of the syndicate shouted “It is not legal to vote on this; because article 16 in the syndicate's law states that any member of the syndicate who does not implement a syndicate's decision should be subjected to disciplinary measures.” Meeting with Prime Minister This extraordinary assembly was held after the general assembly meeting on March 25 that raised the demands of the doctors to Essam Sharaf, Egyptian Prime Minister. “Essam Sharaf discussed our demands with much concern and ordered immediate measures to secure the hospitals in our meeting with him,” said Khalil. “It is your role as doctors to monitor these measures and tell us if it weren't applied,” he continued. The doctors all shouted that nothing was done to secure hospitals. Khalil assured his fellow doctors that he will transfer this to Sharaf through the two channels of communication with him; Sharaf's media consultant and Amr Helmy, as a medical consultant to provide the Prime Minister with recommendations about the doctors' demands. During the assembly, the board received a reply from the Health Minister deciding to open the door for elections in the syndicate October 2 every two years and to stop providing licenses to non-doctors to supervise the labs and clinics. Members vs. Board of the syndicate The members of the syndicate decided to enter a sit-in in front of the syndicate until they receive a signed paper from the syndicate's board acknowledging the decisions they took, especially after they felt that it is against the strike. The doctors chanted, “The doctors are free, and al-Erian is out” calling upon al-Erian to stop playing politics in the syndicate and to care only for the doctors and their demands. The doctors' syndicate's general assembly witnessed many scenes of disorder and criticism directed at the board, especially for not providing a bigger hall to hold the assembly's meeting accusing them of disrespecting the doctors. BM
