HELTH NEWS

Doctors in the public sector in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have decided to Friday morning from a minimum service in hospitals before lifting the watchword of general strike which was launched Monday, according to their main union. "Taking into account significant advances contained in the Memorandum of Understanding (signed with the government), and anxious to alleviate the suffering of the population, doctors took the decision to ensure a minimum service starting this Friday (... ) To the implementation of the commitments made by the authorities, said the National Union of Physicians (Synamed) in a news release Friday. This decision was made Thursday evening during a consultation meeting between the Synamed and its basic "is the materialization of the commitments made by the government," including the effective collection, "as soon as possible", benefits pecuniary negotiated. An agreement was signed Wednesday in Kinshasa between government and the Synamed, providing an additional 2 billion Congolese francs (3.6 million or 4.2 million euros) to increase doctors' salaries. This amount does not cover all their claims. The doctors' strike was followed since Monday in public hospitals in Kinshasa and most schools in the province. Patients were forced to leave hospitals to private centres, and new patients were admitted more consultations