The young doctors announced this Wednesday the suspension of all their protest actions, including the strike planned for December 8. The decision comes after a conciliation session held at the Ministry of Health, in the presence of institutional representatives of the sector.
The agreement addresses the main points of contention that fueled the protest by resident doctors.
Progress of the agreement and progress achieved
At the end of the meeting chaired by the Minister of Health, Mustapha Ferjani, and bringing together the presidency of the Council of the Order, the deans of the four faculties of medicine and a negotiating delegation from the Tunisian Organization of Young Doctors, several concrete commitments were made.
The civil service file constituted the main progress. A list of 53 diseases giving rise to an exemption has been drawn up, putting an end to a long disagreement. Furthermore, 17 emergency situations allowing the place of assignment to be brought closer to home have been defined, while the social criteria governing this rapprochement will be finalized before the end of the week.
Concerning on-call duties, progress has been recorded in settling arrears owed to health personnel in public hospitals. The ministry has also set up a dedicated application to report late payments, with a maximum time limit of two months for processing complaints.
Reactions and salary prospects
On the salary front, the Organization obtained recognition of a specific increase intended for resident doctors, distinct from the revaluation mechanisms provided for in the 2026 finance bill for the public service. A new negotiation session is scheduled for mid-December with the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Finance in order to set the final amount of this increase.
The Organization is proposing an increase of around 400 dinars per month, with entry into force scheduled for January 1, 2026. This perspective contributed to the climate of appeasement that allowed the suspension of the movement.
In recent months, young doctors have increased protest actions due to tensions linked to compulsory assignments, working conditions in public hospitals, non-regular payment of guards and salary stagnation. The sector is also suffering from a growing flight abroad and a structural deficit in human resources.
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