Doctors' Syndicate Announces Escalatory Steps in Protest Against Government's Neglect of Its Demands

SadaNews - The Doctors' Syndicate in Palestine issued a press statement confirming that it had communicated in the past period with the Ministry of Health and representatives from the Prime Minister's office, seeking to secure fair and just rights for doctors, ensuring their continued provision of health services professionally despite the difficult circumstances faced by the health sector due to shortages of medications and repeated assaults on medical staff.

The statement clarified that the government had ignored the previous agreements reached with the syndicate and continued its policy of procrastination and evasion of its commitments, which places the full responsibility for the deterioration of the health system in the country on it. It pointed out that the decision to cut back in the public sector, approved by the previous government, negatively impacted the health of citizens, and it would have been more appropriate for the government to exempt health ministry employees and seek solutions to develop the health sector in light of the harsh conditions faced by the Palestinian people.

Accordingly, the syndicate announced a series of escalatory measures, the most notable of which is the cessation of biometric attendance for all doctors working in the Ministry of Health, and reducing the primary healthcare hours to one day a week (Monday), in addition to limiting the operation of government hospitals to on-call staff only and halting outpatient clinics and scheduled operations. The syndicate also decided to reduce the working hours of departments affiliated with the Ministry of Health to one day a week, only accepting emergency and life-saving cases in the emergency departments.

The syndicate emphasized that these steps are taken to protect the rights and dignity of doctors, affirming its readiness to escalate further if the government continues to ignore legitimate demands. It also clarified that the door for dialogue will remain open until these demands are met, urging private and charitable hospitals to fulfill their obligations towards doctors, and confirming that any doctor facing pressure due to these measures can approach the syndicate council to file an official complaint.