Prison doctors ready to strike

The legislation says that doctor and professionalsin the service of the State should have the right of a career progression that will allow them to obtain changes in the scales and as a consequence a higher salary.

Currently that it is not the case and they gave announced their intention to go on strike.

The medical director of the Custodial and Correction Centers of the Ministry of Government and Justice, Justino Camacho said that they are not asking for a pay rise, just that the authorities comply with the spirit of the law.

“We have doctors and other professionals that have worked for 12, 15 and even 19 years without being paid according to their grade, or move further in their careers.

The announcement of the strike, which will start on February 3, was made by union leaders, who say that they want a dialogue, but the government has not listened to them.

During the last 14 years doctors and professionals have made numerous requests to different administrations, but they have been ignored.

“They offer us a compromise, but after a few days the government steps back and does not fulfill its promises to us and that is why we have decided to go on strike,” said Camacho.

Personnel from the jails of La Joya, La Joyita, Renacer, Herrera, Chiriqui, Los Santos, Colon, La Chorrera and custody centers will participate in the strike.

Another complaint of physicians and medical personnel is the terrible working conditions in the correctional system.

According to Camacho, they do not have enough equipment or personnel to work, they lack medicines and the clinics are in a dreadful state of disrepair.

He added that solve this problems, more money should be invested in the system to meet its requirements.

The National Comptroller’s statistics report reveals that up to the end of June 2008, there were 10,900 inmates in correction centers, which means that those people will not receive medical attention while the strike last.

The president of the Support for the Recluse Foundation, Javier Justiniani said that the strike will not have any effect, because when the prisoners have a serious health problem, they are taken to Social Security or government’s hospitals. According to him there are only 5 clinics in the whole system, therefore should not disrupt the system.