Minster calls on striking doctors to consider consequences

The health minister has called on doctors set to strike this coming week to think of the consequences of their actions.

Commenting on the platform X, Minister Michalis Damianos said he retained the hope that the strike can be avoided.

Stressing that the health sector is sensitive, he called on the doctors to “show cooperation, responsibility and understanding to reach, as soon as possible, an agreement that will benefit everyone.”

On avoiding the strike, he said he hope to “secure medical care for all citizens”.

Meanwhile, the Cyprus News Agency reported that Damianos was continuing mediating contacts with both sides that are “continuous and intense”.

Damianos’ comments come after the finance ministry on Saturday slammed the strike.

“The finance ministry wishes to express its full support to the efforts of the management of Okypy, for the improvement and upgrading of public health services,” the finance ministry said.

The doctors’ union Pasyki said doctors would strike from 7.30am on Tuesday until 7.30am on Thursday, with skeleton staff tending only to emergencies from A&E or complications from inpatients.

The dispute revolves around the doctors’ pay. They claim that Okypy has ‘cheated’ on reimbursing them for work done in 2023 by arbitrarily interpreting an agreement in place that concerns remuneration based on an incentives system.