Lithuania without healthcare

LNK news (11Apr.2005) confirmed that through secret vote Lithuania's medical faculty unitedly support the full-scale strike that is due to start on the 17th of May. The chairperson for of the Medics' Professional Union Aldona Baublyte claims that more than 70 percent of Lithuania's medics took part in the vote and 98,6 percent thereof supported the protest.

The aim of the strike is to have the salaries of doctors, nurses and other hospital staff raised 50 percent this year and 30 percent next year. State officials claim (LNK , 2Apr.2005) that to fulfill the doctors' demands the government would need 100 mln. litas (around 29 mln. Euros) this year and 200 mln. next year...

Medics claim that strike will definitely start in May as expected. The organizers however do not try to forecast when it should end. Medics made it clear that they wouldn't end the protest until all the demands are met. During the strike, all the medical faculty will be in their work places and will provide emergency treatment for patients, but cold surgeries and non-urgent treatment will be postponed until later.

Minister of Health Zilvinas Padaiga warned that government is not willing to bargain. Salaries will be raised but way less that medic's demand. He said patients and doctors themselves would be the ones who suffer because of the strike. Meanwhile Lithuania's Prime Minister Algirdas Brazauskas confirmed that government doesn't plan to fulfill the requirements of the protesting medics. "Today we do not have any additional financial possibilities" he told LNK, "we'll see in a month."