ZAGREB, Jan 18 (Hina) - Saturday's decision of the Croatian Doctors' Union's strike committee to discontinue admissions and surgeries which are not urgent starting Monday seriously endangers the lives and health of citizens, Health
Minister Andro Vlahusic told state radio.
ZAGREB, Jan 18 (Hina) - Saturday's decision of the Croatian
Doctors' Union's strike committee to discontinue admissions and
surgeries which are not urgent starting Monday seriously endangers
the lives and health of citizens, Health Minister Andro Vlahusic
told state radio. #L#
Patients cannot themselves assess if something is urgent and come
to doctors to be examined and told if the condition is serious,
Vlahusic said.
He believes the union's demands are final. The government will,
therefore, deliberate what to do to protect citizens' lives and
health, he said.
Doctors went on strike on January 15, demanding a 45 percent pay
rise -- to two average Croatian wages for interns (7,000 kuna) and
2.5 average wages for specialists (9,000 kuna). In the meantime,
the union offered a compromise offer of a 28 percent increase.
Union president Ivica Babic said this offer was valid until next
Wednesday when the union, unless its demands were met, would return
to its initial request.
(EUR1 = 7.5 kuna)
(hina) ha