CAIRO – The Minister of Health and Population Dr Amr Helmi has called for the salaries of doctors to be raised. He has submitted a study to the Ministry of Finance estimating the cost of the increase at LE940 million (nearly $160 million), including LE400 million (some $70 million), which will be borne by the Ministry of Health. If the Ministry of Finance delays in responding to the study, Dr Helmi remarked that the Health Ministry would pump in its LE400 million allocation so as to increase doctors' salaries. “Doctors' salaries are very low to the extent that they do not enable them to lead decent lives or present an outstanding medical service, ” Dr Helmi said during a press conference held on Monday in response to sit-ins organised by doctors calling for raising their salaries. The increase will amount to 50 per cent of what the doctors are already receiving, in addition to an allowance that will be raised to reach LE112 ($19) instead of LE30, stated Dr Helmi. According to Ministry of Health classifications, the lowest category of doctors earning only LE45 for working a night shift, that is specialists, would be paid LE75, while consultants would receive LE100, upon the recommendations of Dr Helmi to the Ministry of Finance. A doctor has the right to work 12 night shifts monthly. Where nursing is concerned, a demand has been submitted to the Ministry of Finance to increase their nightshift allowance to reach LE20 but it has not been approved, he added. According to Dr Helmi, a shadow board of director will be formed at each hospital affiliated to the Ministry of Health comprising five junior doctors. They would submit their suggestions and co-ordinate efforts with those who are in charge of the administration to develop the performance at the hospital. The aim is to enhance the role played by young medical staff in Egyptian hospitals. For his part, Dr Naser el-Sayyed, Assistant Minister for Preventative Medicine noted that there are 2,500 medical units, which are already applying a family medicine system. Accordingly, there would be one doctor to each of some 300 or 400 families. The forthcoming batch of graduating doctors would be assigned to the border regions, which are suffering from a lack of doctors as a result of doctors refraining from working in such remote places. Female doctors represent 80 per cent of the new batches of qualifying doctors because the males have been conscripted into military service. Consequently, two female doctors will be assigned to each medical unit.
