Faced with the persistent anger of young doctors, the Ministry of Health tries to appease tensions. In an intervention on Mosaic FM, this Wednesday, the chief of staff of the Minister of Health, Mabrouk Aounallah on Wednesday, assured that the majority of the claims of interns and residents had found a favorable outcome.
According to him, the demands of young practitioners are articulated around six major points: validation of internships, national service, payment and increase in guard premiums, the increase in the capacity of the guards, as well as a general revaluation of wages.
Validation of internships: transparent criteria adopted
On the academic level, young doctors demanded more transparency in the validation of hospital internships, renewed every six months. Aounallah indicated that a consensus had been found with the deans of medical faculties to adopt objective and uniform evaluation criteria. “This point was 100 % satisfied,” he said.
National Service: Salary of 2,000 dinars and social coverage
Another notable advance: the remuneration of doctors carrying out their national service in public structures was brought to 2000 Dinars following a joint agreement between the Ministries of Health and Defense. The decision was published in the Official Journal. In addition to this revaluation, concerned will now benefit from social security coverage, hitherto absent.
The ministry also examines the possibility of exempting certain doctors from the national service, a file still in discussion with national defense.
Guards: more than 90% of the regulated arrears
Regarding the payment of the guards, whose amounts vary between 40 and 80 dinars per night, Aounallah announced that more than 90% of DUs have been settled. A follow -up unit has been set up within the ministry to avoid any future delay. In addition, all requests from hospitals aimed at increasing the number of doctors on duty have been satisfied, he says.
Salary increases: a file still open
The last two claims, relating to the revaluation of childcare premiums and a general increase in wages, remain unanswered. If the ministry does not reject the principle, it stresses that these measures would imply an estimated cost of 120 million dinars per year, not to mention other health professionals. “It is necessary to open negotiations to find a balanced compromise,” concluded Mabrouk Aounallah.
