Frustrated nurses cold shouldered by Assembly and Martinelli

HUNDREDS OF NURES marched on Wednesday June 5 from their headquarters near Santo Tomas Hospital in Bella Vista to the National Assembly and the Palacio de las Garzas.

They marched chanting slogans against Minister of Health Javier Díaz as they claim protracted negotiations with the ministry over wages and working conditions are going nowhere.

Diaz and his staff are accused of using stalling tactics.

Nurses came from every province and carried signs like “Working at night is not the same as working in the day, but who gets paid?” and “ Nurses worked 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365days a year.” Others called for protection against physical assault.
Immaculately dressed in their nurses’ outfits they marched to the the National Assembly to present a document and get their voices heard by deputies. They failed to get a hearing.
Then they marched on to the presidential palace hoping to get the intervention of President Ricardo Martinelli. Instead they got the cold shoulder and were handed a note advising them to keep talking with the Ministry of Health .
Health authorities say the talks will continue for two more weeks.
In the meantime doctors, nurses and technicians have formed a united front to oppose government health care policies and to oppose the introduction of foreign doctors.