In the TV FORUM programme yesterday, the Chairman of the HRMI proposed to consider the other side of the issue, that is the potential violations of patients’ rights and ensuing trials of loss compensation.
“On the one hand, the requirements of the Social Charter determine the right to just remuneration, and I believe the patients are also in favour of medics being justly compensated for their work,” – claimed Kęstutis Čilinskas. “Yet, on the other hand, the patients’ rights also should be taken into account. The Lithuanian Constitution consolidates the right to be provided with healthcare services in case of illness, which means in any case of illness, not only in the emergency cases.”
“The failure to provide adequate healthcare services to a person during the medics’ strike would breach the provisions, material and non-material, of both the Labour Code, and the Law on the Rights of Patients and Compensation for the Damage to their Health,” – comments K. Čilinskas.
K. Čilinskas maintains that the strike process and service provision during the strike should be legally regulated in great detail in order to prevent harmful consequences for both parties.
Dr Dainius Pūras, HRMI Board Member, who also took part in the TV programme, claimed that the demands raised by the strike initiators remind him of the symptomatic treatment, while the massive pay increase could be equalled to the one-time dose of morphine. “Unfortunately, the system is calling for reform so far and we do expect the new Government and the new Minister to contribute to the private initiative for changing the existing ‘kolkhoz’ model of healthcare system. The reforms are expected to start soon as Žilvinas Padaiga is the supporter of the primary healthcare privatisation,” – says D. Pūras.
“Still now they come and demand that all employees of this ineffective system were paid such and such salaries despite the quality of services rendered and the inadequate safeguarding of patients’ rights” - points out the HRMI Board Member, who is a doctor himself.
“How are we going to proceed with the reform after the strike ends? What happens next? Will we manage to determine the actual diagnosis of the healthcare system or will one more morphine dose be inevitable?” – asks D. Pūras.
Programme TV forum (TV3) on 26 April 2005, moderated by E.Jakilaitis. Topic: "Do You Support the National Medics’ Strike?"
© 2012 Human Rights Monitoring Institute