In a general assembly meeting of the Doctors Syndicate yesterday, physicians protested their deteriorating financial status and called for changes in their levels of compensation. "A doctor's salary is worth three kilos of meat," one sign said, in protest of what the physicians described as the Ministry of Finance's delay in implementing salary and bonus reforms for doctors. The head of the Doctors Syndicate Hamdi el-Sayyed said the government should fulfill its financial obligations towards doctors and consultants. He criticized the Interior Ministry for not implementing the second phase of salary and bonus reforms that was agreed upon two years ago. The syndicate has prepared a bill that addresses the need for physicians to have continuous training and development of professional skills and scientific knowledge. The bill proposes than an independent authority should finance the proposed skill development program. Meanwhile, an official from the Central Auditing Authority said members of the Doctors Syndicate still owe the syndicate money for commodities they bought during the syndicate's annual exhibitions. In addition, the syndicate has not yet registered its real estate possessions. The syndicate is forming a committee to examine its finance performance from the last year. Translated from the Arabic Edition.
