(Commonwealth_Europe) State hospital doctors are proceeding with their planned 48-hour strike after a final meeting with the state health services organization (Okypy) ended in deadlock. Health Minister Michalis Damianos, who is currently abroad, urged all parties involved to avoid the strike. The strike will affect doctors across all branches of hospitals, including A&E.
The key issue centers around the financial incentives that doctors are seeking for 2023. An independent audit firm’s study in July estimated the sum at €2.5 million, while unions are demanding €4.5 million. Last Thursday’s meeting with the House health committee discussed Okypy’s expected presentation of alternative scenarios for resolving financial incentives for doctors from 2025 to 2027.
Speaking on behalf of Okypy, Charilaou stated that despite the positive atmosphere of the meeting, the unions insisted on discussing the 2023-24 payments, which he believes are beyond further negotiation. Okypy’s stance is that any solution must be comprehensive, covering the years 2023 through 2027, and that it is unreasonable to continue discussing the matter every month without resolving it.
Meanwhile, the unions, represented by Pasyki and Pasydy, proposed returning the 2023-24 funds as a way to resolve the impasse. Pasyki president Sotiris Koumas said that this approach would “get out of the dead end,” but the response from Okypy’s leadership was that they lacked the authority to discuss the specific amount. Koumas emphasized that once the 2023-24 issue is resolved, the unions are willing to proceed with talks about the next three years.
Despite the failure of the talks, Koumas confirmed that the strike would go ahead but assured that they would aim to minimize the impact on patients. He noted that the unions would continue to perform their duties at state hospitals as usual, emphasizing that political will and decisions are now required from Okypy and the government to resolve the situation.
Pasydy’s doctors’ faction president, Moisis Lambrou, criticized the meeting as a “pretend invitation” and expressed disappointment that their joint proposal, which he described as a “win-win” compromise, was not accepted. Lambrou explained that the unions were willing to start discussions on the 2025-27 incentives immediately to avoid future issues and promote labor peace. He bemoaned Okypy and political leaders’ lack of resolve to resolve the issue, asserting that their proposal’s acceptance could have lifted the strike and facilitated constructive dialogue.
In response to the strike, Okypy assured the public that it is prioritizing patient health and safety. The organization emphasized its commitment to maintaining quality care and its readiness for dialogue. Okypy also stressed that efforts to avoid the strike are ongoing.
DISY president Annita Demetriou urged all parties to show a spirit of cooperation and for the government to act quickly to find solutions before it is too late. She warned that public health should not become a continual source of controversy with patients suffering as a result. Demetriou urged all stakeholders to assume accountability, guaranteeing the preservation of treatment hours in public hospitals and fostering societal progress through compromise.
Following the meeting, Okypy’s spokesperson, Charalambos Charilaou, reassured the public that the organization had taken necessary measures to ensure the continuation of patient treatment during the strike. He also guaranteed that there would be no compromise on patient safety. During the strike, A&E departments will operate with emergency staff, treating only life-threatening emergencies. All scheduled outpatient appointments, surgeries, endoscopies, and day hospitalizations will be postponed. However, hospitalized patients, including those in ICU, will be cared for by emergency personnel. The Ministry of Health will oversee the transportation of any patients requiring urgent care from A&E to private hospitals, while chemotherapy treatments for inpatients continue.
