Tunisia health workers demand reforms amid virus fight

Thousands of health workers in Tunisia on Wednesday (June 17) took to the streets to demand reform in the country’s health sector. The march was in response to calls for a general strike across all public hospitals.

It also comes at a time the north African country is entering what can be said to be the post COVID-19 era as government moves to relax restrictions and reopen the economy.

Othman Jallouli, Secretary General of the General Health Federation within the UGTT told the press: “Today, professionals in the field are insisting on the particularity of the sector, for the implementation of a specific reform for the medical sector.

“This law will provide a framework for all existing sectors to define the legislative procedures of inter-professional organisations and to organise salaries, bonuses, etc…”

“During the Covid-19 crisis, there were only two or three professions that did not stop working and fulfilled their responsibilities for the country. But as usual, we were the first for battle but the last for recognition.”

The coronavirus pandemic has infected 1,157 people in Tunisia, 50 people have died with 1,020 recoveries as against 87 recoveries as of June 22 according to John Hopkins University tracker.