After the protests and two strikes in December, The mobilization of doctors and nurses continues in January 2024 to save the National Health Service. “The healthcare dispute will continue with other strikes: the request that emerged unanimously was: respect for the profession”. Thus the union of doctors and managers of the NHS, Anaao-Assomed, which together with Cimo-Fesmed and the nurses of Nursing-Up had blocked public healthcare on 5 December last. While on 18 December Aaroi-Emac, the resuscitation anesthetists, Fassid (Aipac-Aupi-Simet-Sinafo-Snr), FVM – Veterinary and Medical Federation and Cisl doctors had abstained from work. “In the next few days we will discuss a new date for the first strike in 2024at the end of January – Guido Quici, president of the Cimo-Fesmed Federation doctors' union, told Adnkronos Salute – but we are also open to a dialogue with the Minister of Health and the Government. Certain, the Maneuver is objectively disappointing. It emphasizes the 2 billion for the renewal of contracts and on the resources for the waiting lists but does not reverse course”. But the unions' strategy goes beyond the Italian borders. “We are willing to demonstrate in Brussels too”, warns Pierino Di Silverio, national secretary of Anaao-Assomed.
Anaao itself calls for “investing in the NHS not only with funding, but also with laws that allow its relaunch; making healthcare professions attractive, with a hiring plan that limits hardship; eliminating the spending cap on hiring; increasing wages, providing adequate funding for the renewal of contracts; review the contractual model, with respect for healthcare specificities; decriminalize the medical and healthcare act; maintain acquired rights, also with reference to the pension structure”. If answers do not arrive quickly “the dispute will not stop, and to follow up on our joint action which began on 5 December and in compliance with the regulations, we are ready – Di Silverio points out – to proclaim other days of strike in January”.
According to Cimo, “it is necessary to relaunch the healthcare offer” because the Government cannot intervene, as done in the Maneuver, “only by reducing waiting times for visits but it is necessary to immediately reverse the trend of cuts in beds and of the surgeries that other Executives have carried out”. Quici's appeal to the Minister of Health Orazio Schillaci and to the Government is therefore to “demonstrate the courage that others have not had. We have understood that for Prime Minister Meloni health is a priority – he claims – but now she must demonstrate it and we will not more evasive indications are enough but structural interventions and the right resources are needed. Otherwise we will go to Europe to make our voice and our protest heard, given that there are also elections.” On the side of nurses, a category united in the union battle with doctors, Nursing Up intervenes by highlighting that “if the Government does not decide to listen to us seriously, the battles will not come to an end, indeed, we can undoubtedly consider ourselves at the beginning of a new very hot season of protests”.
#Doctors #strikes #here39s
