CAIRO: Members of the Doctors Syndicate along with the Doctors Without Rights movement organized a protest in front of the syndicate Sunday, demanding an increase in doctors salaries. Protestors led by Essam El-Erian, a leading figure in the Muslim Brotherhood group, threatened that doctors will go on strike if their demands were not met. He criticized government policies as well as those of the Ministry of Health regarding salary increases. We will keep protesting until our demands are met; if they aren t we will go on strike like the Fayyoum doctors, Rashwan Shaaban Rashwan, one of the leaders of Doctors Without Rights told Daily News Egypt. Rashwan explained that a court case demanding doctors right to strike was adjourned to Sept. 1. All we want is a reasonable salary that enables doctors to live a good life and continue higher studies, Rashwan added. According to Rashwan, a fresh graduate from the Faculty of Medicine is paid LE 250 per month and a senior doctor is paid LE 600, while graduate studies fees are LE 1,600. Doctors also criticized government policies in combating Hepatitis viruses B and C and ignoring cases that are known to carry them. They also demanded that the ministry increase doctors medical insurance in case they are infected - currently insurance is at LE 15 a day, while medication is prohibitively expensive. Protesters carried banners urging President Mubarak to give the issue some attention and solve their problems before it is too late. El-Erian criticized a recent decision by the Ministry of Health to hike the fees of mental health institutes, pointing out that they have now exceeded private hospital fees.
