The Doctors' Syndicate has called for a strike until infection prevention drugs are available. This decision comes following the death of Dalia Mehrez, a 28-year-old doctor, from meningitis in Ismailia.
The syndicate has requested that doctors report any shortage of these drugs so that it can immediately brief the Health Ministry.
It also that requested that Health Minister Ahmed Emad Eddin write up a list of diseases that should be considered workplace accidents, so as to protect doctors.
The union presented its condolences over the death of Dr. Dalia Mehrez, noting that the diseases doctors and hospital staff are exposed to pose a real threat to their lives, particularly considering that this is a time when the ministry has not implemented any rules or found ways of protecting the staff.
The syndicate said in a statement that doctors receive as little as LE19 for an infection allowance. “The syndicate cannot compensate them if they are exposed to fatal complications,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, the Health Ministry has said that it is not sure Dr. Mehrez died of meningitis, adding that she had an accident two years ago which led to epileptic seizures.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
