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GUATEMALA: HEALTH CARE SYSTEM IN CRISIS; CUBA SENDS HELP.

Article Excerpt
By Jill Replogle [The author is a staff writer for Inforpress Centroamericana, published in Guatemala]

A recent 11-day strike in two of Guatemala's largest public hospitals sounded an alarming reminder of the sad state of the country's public health system. The resident doctors of the capital's San Juan de Dios General Hospital and Roosevelt Hospital walked out of the two installations and took to the streets in mid-August. They demanded payment of a promised bonus, better hospital resources, and legal recognition of a public health workers union. The doctors and department heads continued to provide emergency services by working shifts, but nonemergency services were essentially paralyzed during the walkout.

To make matters worse, Minister of Health Mario Bolanos was called to testify before Congress about possible corruption in the ministry by legislative deputies from the Unidad Nacional de la Esperanza (UNE). However, the UNE failed to convince a majority of their congressional colleagues to join them in a vote of "no confidence" for the minister. Accusations against Bolanos have since died down, and the striking doctors have begun meeting with the minister to implement the accords signed between the two parties on Aug. 16. Among the government's commitments are back pay of the 10% monthly bonus (equivalent to US$37.50)...

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