Egyptian doctors who demand more government health spending decided to suspend their strike until Sunday after Prime Minister Essam Sharaf pledged to fulfill their demands during a meeting Tuesday. On its Facebook page, the committee of doctors leading the strike said Minister of Finance Samir Radwan also attended the meeting, along with other officials responsible for the preparation of the national budget. The committee said the cabinet acknowledged the success of the nationwide strike. A committee statement cited Radwan as saying that Sharaf has ordered increases in public spending on education and health that come close to meeting the increase demanded by doctors. The committee added that it has received promises that health expenditures would be bumped up by 11 to 12 percent and maximum and minimum salaries for health workers would also be set. Sharaf has pledged to secure hospitals and follow up on reports filed with the attorney general calling for the removal of the health minister and other allegedly corrupt officials, according to the statement. The strike will be suspended until Sunday, but not canceled altogether, the statement added. A meeting will be held at the Doctors Syndicate to discuss the results of the strike and vote on whether it should continue. Translated from the Arabic Edition
