Cairo, May 11: Egyptian doctors go on a nationwide strike, calling for for higher pay and better working conditions, as demands for reforms continue three months after Hosni Mubarak’s ouster.
The strike has been arranged by Egyptian doctors’ syndicate that has also called for an open-ended strike as of May 17, a Media correspondent reported on Tuesday.
The syndicate has announced that the strike is not restricted to the physicians and includes general reforms.
The Egyptian doctors have made it clear that they are resolute not to back down from their decision until their demands are met.
Doctors have called an increase in the health budget from 3.5 percent to 15 percent.
They have also demanded the removal of Health Minister Ashraf Hatem, who is affiliated to the toppled regime and is accused of backing up the crackdown on protesters during Egypt’s revolution in February.
“The situation in hospitals is desperate. We don’t even have a reception area to admit patients,” said Mona Mina from the high committee for the supervision of strike.
In April, an Egyptian court dissolved the former ruling National Democratic Party of Mubarak and froze its assets.
Egyptian activists say Mubarak must be tried for the death of hundreds of protesters during the country’s popular revolution that led to his ouster.
A fact-finding commission set by the interim government reported that 846 people were killed and more than 6,400 others injured during Egypt’s historic revolution.
——–Agencies