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Committee holds 1st meeting on raising infections compensation for doctors The wheels are turning but no significant progress so far, says the Doctors Syndicate
The joint committee for implementing the raise in infections compensation for doctors met on Wednesday to discuss implementation mechanisms for the decision. The meeting was attended by representatives from the ministries of finance and health ministry, and the doctors and dentists syndicates. In June, the State Council's administrative court ratified the decision to raise the compensation to EGP 1,000 instead of EGP 19, after the cabinet had appealed the initial verdict. During the meeting, the Doctors Syndicate proposed a study on the number of doctors who will benefit from the decision. The total budget required according to this study averages between EGP 1.6-1.7bn per year. The cabinet had rejected the raise time and time again claiming that the healthcare budget is insufficient. Meanwhile, the Doctors Syndicate had pushed for the implementation of the court decision, arguing that doctors are at high risk of contracting a deadly infection in their line of work. Earlier in September, the syndicate filed a lawsuit against the cabinet for not implementing the State Council's court decision. Although the cabinet has begun to consider implementing the raise, the syndicate will not withdraw the lawsuit and the first session for this lawsuit is scheduled for 18 October. Furthermore, the syndicate called on the cabinet during the Wednesday meeting to withdraw the appeal filed against the State Council's court decision; but the cabinet representatives refused. "No significant progress has been made so far but the wheels are turning," Doctors Syndicate secretary general Mona Mina wrote on her Facebook page following the meeting. The committee will hold another meeting next Wednesday, by which time the Finance Ministry representatives will have reviewed with the minister the suggestions made by the Doctors Syndicate on allocating funding resources. Over the past three years, at least six doctors have died and dozens others have been left with long-lasting issues after contracting an infection in their line of work, according to the syndicate census.
