Thousands of Egyptian doctors have been protesting this week against police abuse and brutality. In an unprecedented solidarity move, the syndicate has expressed its anger after video footage surfaced of a doctor being assaulted by policemen.
Last Friday, an urgent general assembly session was held discussing the recent abuses against the Matariya hospital doctors. The syndicate vowed to continue their protests on Feb. 20 if their demands are not met. The general assembly asked for the Minister of Health, Ahmed Emad, to resign, promising that they will only offer free services in public hospitals until the officers involved are held accountable.
Could it be any more degrading that Egyptian employees, doctors or not, have to protest to demand protection during their working hours? The situation is taking too long to solve and it is frustrating everyone. How ridiculous is it that the chairman of the syndicate, Hussein Khairy, and the syndicate’s deputy, Mona Mina, have to officially demand something very logical and basic as a safe environment for the patient and doctor?
Here are simple reasons why Egyptian doctors should never have to ask for respect:
With the exception of the few medical moguls in Egypt, as students, they struggle for a minimum of 10 years, just to find jobs with salaries that hardly allows them to support a family
In their attempt to increase their income, they work at least two shifts a day, a total of minimum 13 hours daily
They work in the most inhumane conditions where the simplest hospital facilities and resources like cotton and detergent are non-existent
Amidst all the protests and anger, they had the patient’s interest first and vowed to continue offering free services
Five years ago during the revolution, they left the safety of their homes, defied the curfew and treated the injured protestors in streets and mosques
What is taking so long?
WE SAID THIS: Don’t miss 18 Signs You’re a Struggling Egyptian Doctor.