Doctors in the private sector in France are again called upon to close their offices from this Monday, December 26 and until January 2, by the collective “Doctors for tomorrow”. They are demanding an increase in the consultation fee and an improvement in their working conditions.
The call of the authorities to the sacred union ” of health professionals, in the hope of “ relieve “hospitals overwhelmed by the” triple epidemic of Covid-19, bronchiolitis and flu, did not stop the movement.
A previous strike December 1 and 2 had led to a drop in activity of around 30% among general practitioners, according to the health services.
Mobilization “ will be a little less, let’s face it, but still substantial “, predicted the founder of the collective” Doctors for tomorrow “, Christelle Audigier, who launched the movement.
Freedom of installation, consultation fee…
The collective, which is already planning for the national event scheduled for Paris on January 5, is calling for a doubling of the basic consultation fee (from 25 to 50 euros) to create a “ attraction shock towards a city medicine glaringly short of staff, overwhelmed by administrative tasks and no longer attracting young people.
All doctors’ organizations are worried about their freedom of installation, challenged by proposed laws on medical deserts. They are headwinds against the possibility that some nurses may be authorized to prescribe.
Desperate situation, desperate measure. We do not close lightly from December 26 to January 1. I have been working for 17 years and have never gone on strike.
Ali Kada Mokhtaria, general practitioner: “There, the situation is getting worse”
►Also read: In France, threatened by a triple epidemic, hospitals in “critical situation” this winter
(With AFP)