LEFKOSA - Labour union of Turkish Cypriot physicians (TIP-IS) decided to strike in all hospitals and clinics on Monday to protest the changes that the government had introduced in the healthcare professionals legislation.
Dentists and doctors member of TIP-IS participated in the strike. The participation rate to the strike, supported also by Turkish Cypriot Doctors Union, was 95 percent.
Chair of TIP-IS Erol Seherlioglu told AA that the strike would continue until they recuperate their rights.
Seherlioglu said that the government declared that it would support the health reform proposed by the doctors since it came to power. He also recalled the agreement the Ministry of Health and six civil health organisations reached in February 2007 for the adoption of healthcare, general health insurance and circulating capital legislations that would pave the way for reform in healthcare.
Seherlioglu argued that the draft was eviscerated in the cabinet and said they went on strike last week as a warning.
Seherlioglu indicated that they were against privatizations in healthcare and said they wanted employee rights to be arranged in accordance with working conditions. Seherlioglu said their financial demands were not too high.
"The government does not even deem a one-cent raise suitable for doctors. Such an attitude injured their professional pride," said Seherlioglu.