Sudanese doctors’ renewed strike enters fourth day
November 7, 2016 (KHARTOUM) – The independent doctors union, Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors (CCSD) on Monday said the third day of their renewed strike (Sunday) was a complete success.
On 6 October, Sudanese doctors staged a strike and refused non-emergency treatments to patients to protest the poor working conditions, lack of medicines and protection of doctors after increasing attacks on medical staff by frustrated patients and their families.
On 13 October, the CCED called off the strike following government pledges to introduce a bill to the parliament to protect doctors, improve training conditions for registrars and improve work environment in hospitals.
However, the CCSD last Tuesday announced resumption of a two-day strike every week during November, saying the government didn’t honour its commitments.
In a report released on Wednesday; the striking doctors said that 60 public hospitals have participated in the strike on Tuesday. They also warned against attempts by the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) to intimidate the doctors and bread the movement.
In a statement extended to Sudan Tribune on Sunday, the CCSD expressed commitment to continue the strike to meet the doctors’ demands, pointing to the large support rendered by doctors to the CCSD as their sole representative body.
It added that the strike would enter its fourth day on Monday, saying that 9 doctors from the CCSD’s central committee and subcommittees are being detained for the seventh day while several others have been summoned by the NISS.
(ST)