The Health Ministry has announced the opening of three new phone lines for medical-related matters–phone number 137 for complaints by citizens against lack of medical service on the first day of doctors’ strike, number 123 for the ambulance authority and number 16474 for the emergency care operations chamber.
Health Minister Maha Rabat declared the success of the comprehensive emergency plan made by the ministry to secure ongoing medical services despite the partial strike by doctors and pharmacists. She added that the strike did not take place in 10 governorates, but a partial strike happened at 30 percent of ministry hospitals in other governorates.
The minister emphasized that regular service is being provided to patients at hospitals in which clinics are wholly or partially on strike. She also said that the strike doesn’t include emergency services like laboratories, radiology departments, emergency operations, dialysis, incubators, fever department, vaccinations and getting birth and death certificates.
Rabat added that the ministry canceled all upcoming vacations for ambulance workers while the strike is underway.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
