Mass poisoning victims call for end to medical confrontation

SURVIVORS of the mass poisoning by diethlyne glycol of hundreds of Panamanian users of Sociaj Security medicine, called upon health authorities and medical associations to put an end to the strike.
The work stoppage entered its 24th day on Saturday, October 18.

Daniel Sarmiento, a member of the Committee for the Right to Health and Life, reported that some patients are in a critical condition due to the stoppage since they need to purchase their prescription medications. The strike involves Doctors, nurses and technical staff, including lab technicians. They are protesting a lwa to allow foreign doctors intp Panama, and what they see as the start of privatization of hospitals,

Sarmiento said that because of the stoppage, patients now have to fins money to buy the medicines that should be provided by the Social Security Fund.
He urged the government and doctors engage in dialogue dialogue to end the suspension of medical care services across the country.
On Friday, says La Prensa the Catholic Church started a rapprochement between the authorities and the health sector associations. They agreed to continue talking on Monday, October 21, in the Curia.