[Press Review] When will social unrest end?
by Vincent Fromentin on May 2, 2011 • 10:57 amPress Review of the week
May 2nd 2011
As we mentionned, private investments are flooding to healthcare sector in the Middle-East and Gulf countries. Nevertheless the strike of Jordanian physicians in public sector is continuing reports The Jordanian Times. They demand salary increases in view of the fact that they are low by any standard. Jordanian government firstly listened to their claim but at the end didn’t follow up. Owing to this newspaper, in an other article, even some private doctors went on strike to support their counterparts.
The gap between the incomes of private sector physicians and their counterparts in public health institutions is quite wide; it suggests that doctors working for the government are not treated fairly.
In this respect, this very problem reveals the wide socio-economical discrepancies in arab world health: a two-tier health where private sector fuels competition and investments. And Jordan is the most striking example. The health economical model highlights the social gradient to care access. In Oman, Starcare, a UK-based company, has announced a 26 million euro investment and the opening of a 50-beds hospital in Seeb owing to MuscatDaily.com. It includes the construction of 10 polyclinics and a chain of 15 pharmacies in the next four years, also says ArabianBusiness.com.
Will private investments be sufficient to soothe social unrest? Which public policies will grant better access to primary care?
