CAIRO: Dozens of doctors organized a strike on Tuesday in most governmental hospitals, demanding the dismissal of Egypt's Minister of Health. Other demands include securing hospitals to protect doctors and patients from thugs, negotiating doctors' salaries, raising the budget of Ministry of Health by 15 percent to offer better service, and improving doctors' positions. Strikes were carried out across educational and university hospitals and specialized medical centers. Emergency, intensive care and critical case departments remained functioning as normal. A doctor in Bulaq Hospital, Dr. Sayed Taher, said the strike was limited to ordinary departments so as not to harm serious cases. The manager of Bulaq Hospital, Dr. Sayed Ghazala, criticized the participation of doctors in the strike. He said only 20 of the hospital's doctors showed up to work. He added that he will exempt all the doctors who joined the strike from legal affairs and decisions. He said he would not participate in such strikes. An official in the Ministry of Health, Abdel Halim al-Bahiry, said he disapproved of the srikes because doctors should not stop treating patients. He said doctors have legal channels to obtain their rights. He added that in Egypt's current situation the Ministry of Health can't afford the doctor's demands. Al-Bahiry said he held a number of meetings with hospital managers. He confirmed he will strictly implement legal measures against doctors who were absent on Tuesday without an official leave to justify their absence. The Nasser Institute witnessed a clash between patients and security because the institute closed the doors in the early morning. Clashes occurred after security attempted to convince patients to leave since as clinics were empty except for the emergency department. Citizens rallied in front of the institute's gate. Patients' families were angry, especially those who traveled from other governorates for specified medical tests. All cancer clinic institutes worked at full capacity. The committee of strikers said Tuesday's doctors' strike was 70 percent successful in hospitals across Egypt because of doctors' commitment to the strike without abandoning serious cases. The Doctors Syndicate said the committee of strikers and its officials do not represent the syndicate. The syndicate said the committee does not have the right to call for doctors who didn't participate in the strike into investigation. The syndicate said those who violated traditions and regulations deserve punishment. The chairman of the committee of strikers, Dr. Hamdy al-Sayed, called on doctors to express their opinions and demands, saying the general assembly has other winning cards that can pressure the government. Al-Sayed said his committee met with officials of the Ministries of Health and of Finance and the Prime Minister, Essam Sharaf, and managed to gain promises to achieve reforms. Sharaf said he cannot grant the doctors' demands to dismiss the Minister of Health because it is illegal to make such a decision. Arabic here.
