Doctors' Syndicate Undersecretary Mona Mina denounced a statement by the chairman of the Pharmacists' Syndicate that condemned the Doctors' Syndicate's general assembly's decision to provide medical services for free at state-owned hospitals.
The Pharmacists' Syndicate head described the decision as a "strike under disguise". Mina retorted by saying a strike is a legal right for any citizen.
Doctors will organize protests at hospitals starting next Saturday, said Mina, adding that providing medical services for free at state-owned hospitals will start on February 27.
The decision was applauded by pharmacists, unlike the Pharmacists' Syndicate head, who generally support the decision, according to Mina.
The Doctors's Syndicate media committee in a statement Sunday evening called on media outlets to use the syndicate's official website, official Facebook page, and statements made by board members as the only sources of information about the 18 decisions issued by the syndicate's general assembly on February 12.
The Doctors' Syndicate's general assembly voted Friday with 56 percent approving of providing medical services to patients at government hospitals for free as an escalatory measure against the Health Ministry and the government.
The Doctors' Syndicate announced Friday that 10,000 doctors registered to attend the emergency general assembly, held under the title "The Day of Dignity", to discuss recent allegations of police officers assaulting doctors.
The general assembly also decided Friday to refer Health Minister Ahmed Emad Eddin to a disciplinary board for not defending doctors against repeated assaults by police officers. The assembly also unanimously demanded the dismissal of the minister from his position.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
