Malaga doctors call new rally against working conditions

Doctors in Malaga, like their colleagues across the country, resumed their protests on Monday, demanding their own framework statute and improved working conditions from the Ministry of Health.

The sector has warned of the fouth general strike of the year so far, which could last until Friday. This has once again led to a considerable number of postponed primary care appointments, outpatient consultations, diagnostic tests and surgical procedures throughout the province.

This time, more than 300 doctors demonstrated in front of Hospital Regional. They addressed their patients with banners. "You don't deserve to be the 50th patient of the day," one of the banners read.

The Malaga medical union (SMM) has reported that over 50 per cent of doctors in Malaga city and the province participated in the national strike. It also stated that there was "strong support from resident doctors, despite the high percentage of minimum services required".

The regional ministry of health has not yet released official participation figures.

Local doctors demand an exclusive framework statute that takes into account the amount and years of training they must undergo to become professionals; an end to 24-hour on-call shifts; that overtime count towards retirement and that they receive a higher pay rate for those hours.

President of the SMM Dr Antonio Martín told SUR that, unfortunately, the "ministry is currently focused on other matters, such as the hantavirus outbreak, and cares very little about healthcare professionals and patients".

"We must continue the fight. So far, we haven't managed to get the Ministry of Health to take any steps forward on the demands we've presented for over a year. It's a disgrace that the ministry refuses to regulate all the specific work that doctors and medical professionals carry out throughout their careers," Dr Martín said.

The head of the SMM highlighted the support these strikes have from young doctors and resident professionals.

For Martín, "on-call shifts are a form of slavery and exploitation" in the 21st century and they don't even count towards retirement.

"If the service needs to be provided, it should be provided, but it must be compensated properly. We need a system in place for this extraordinary work that only doctors and physicians do," Dr Martín said.

Dr Martín also apologised to patients for the impact the strike has on them. He criticised the Health Ministry for "doing nothing to prevent the strike". "It was all just empty words on a long sheet of paper, without any conditions," he said.

Martín also lashed out at the Andalusian regional government for the conditions it tried to impose. "Of course, we didn't accept that blackmail," he said, calling for the establishing of "a forum where doctors can defend their position".

Mariló Padial, as member of the primary care committee of the Malaga medical association, stated that the aim of their fight is "to dignify doctors and, as an extension, dignify patients".

The strike participants on Monday carried banners with the following messages: "They force me to work 24 hours and pay me in vocation"; "I've been working for 24 hours, do you want me to treat you?"; "We want to save lives, not lose our own, #stop24hourshifts"; "Health is not for sale, it is cared for and defended"; "One mistake can kill, without sleep, without stopping"; and "We are doctors, not passive slaves."

The protesters also chanted: "Mónica, darling, you put the white coat on"; "This is exploitation, not vocation"; "Every hour worked should count towards contributions"; "Patients, listen: this is your fight too"; "Tired doctor, guaranteed mistake"; and "We want to work like everyone else."

Some doctors marched chained to a heavy ball, while a huge banner showed a fictional version of Health Minister Mónica García standing in a boat clutching a lifebuoy and trying to drown a doctor struggling to stay afloat. Several female doctors in white coats also wore lifebuoys around their necks demanding their own medical framework statute, the main slogan of the demonstration.

Hospital Regional warned on its social media channels that "scheduled healthcare activity may face disruption until 22 May, including consultations, diagnostic tests and surgeries". The hospital added that minimum service levels would guarantee "emergency care, critical care, obstetric and paediatric emergencies, as well as cancer treatment and other non-deferrable procedures".