Hunger Strike Calls for Better Pay and Job Stability
In a bold move to address long-standing issues, hundreds of foreign-trained doctors in France have initiated a three-day hunger strike, demanding improved working conditions and better job security. Around 300 medical professionals, known as “padhue,” are participating in this protest, highlighting the ongoing challenges they face in the French healthcare system. Dr. Abdelhalim Bensaïdi, a diabetologist at Nanterre Hospital near Paris, spoke with France Inter, expressing the collective frustration: “We are stuck in an unacceptable and precarious situation.”
Wage Gaps and Uncertain Employment Contracts
Foreign-trained doctors in France face significant wage disparities compared to their European counterparts, with many earning up to three times less. Additionally, their contracts are often renewed only every six months, creating uncertainty about their future employment and residency status. This lack of job security adds to the challenges faced by these professionals, who are critical to the functioning of the healthcare system.
President Macron Acknowledges the Crisis
One year ago, President Emmanuel Macron recognized the problem, stating, “In some cases, they are keeping our healthcare system running, yet we leave them in administrative uncertainty.” The French government has promised reforms, including addressing doctor shortages in rural areas and improving the legal status of foreign-trained physicians.
Planned Protest in Paris
To bring attention to their plight, the union representing these medical professionals has organized a protest outside the French Ministry of Health in Paris. The demonstration is scheduled for this Saturday, where the striking doctors hope to pressure the government into taking concrete action to secure their rights and ensure fair pay and job stability. The protest is a call for urgent reform to address the longstanding issues that have left many foreign doctors in France in a state of uncertainty.
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