On September 23, the healthcare professionals of the Hospital de Clínicas in San Lorenzo, Paraguay, began a strike for 30 days demanding the compliance of agreements signed between the representatives of the Faculty of Medical Science of the National University of Asunción (UNA) and the Ministry of Finance in the month of July, regarding greater budget for the sector and salary equalization. The salary equalization process involves reviewing workers’ salaries to ensure that they are being properly compensated for the work they do.
The call for the strike was given by the Trade Union of Workers of the Hospital de Clínicas (SITRAHC) and the United Union of the Hospital de Clínicas after the government of Mario Abdo Benítez failed to keep its promises to issue workers’ compensation for unhealthy or unsafe working conditions and for health allowance, which had to be made since August.
Apart from these demands, the professionals are demanding an investment of 5,000 million guaranis for the reopening of a research laboratory that has been out of operation for the last three years.
On the first day of the strike, the doctors demonstrated outside the hospital, holding posters displaying their demands. Their demonstration occupied part of the Mariscal López Avenue, where the hospital is located, disrupting traffic.
Lourdes Villalba, one of the union leaders, told Noticias Paraguay that so far the finance ministry did not send the budget that they had agreed months ago. She criticized the government for making harsh adjustments towards public services and paying lucrative salaries to its ministers.
Villalba apologized to the citizens for carrying out the measure and guaranteed services to hospitalized patients and pediatric, gynecological and other emergencies during the strike. She informed that only scheduled surgeries and studies would be affected.
Earlier this year, the medical staff of the Hospital de Clínicas had began a 30-day-long strike on July 15, which was called off on July 22 after reaching an agreement with the government. Both groups agreed on salary equalization from October for officials who earn 1,650,000 guaranis and compensation for unhealthy or unsafe working conditions and medical insurance from August. The request for the disbursement of 5,000 million guaranis for the reopening of the laboratory as well as employment and dismissal agreements were also decided.
The Hospital de Clínicas is a teaching hospital, affiliated with the National University of Asunción (UNA). It provides healthcare services to thousands of poor people in the country. It is important to note that since September 14, the professors of the UNA have been on an indefinite strike demanding a higher budget for the education sector and salary equalization. The finance ministry failed to forward the increased budget request to the National Congress for its approval which was agreed upon in a negotiation table with the representatives of the former President Horacio Cartes.
