Sudanese Physicians-in-Training demand permanent contracts and housing

The Physicians-in-Training Initiative has announced its complete withdrawal from all hospitals in Sudan, starting this morning, due to the government's failure to respond to their demands for permanent contracts and housing services.

The medics sent letters to notify a large number of hospitals in Khartoum and elsewhere in Sudan of their full withdrawal from training. The letters follow a strike that took place from November 24 for ten days, demanding “sustainable jobs”, in 60 hospitals in all 18 states of the country.

The letter calls for the employment of more than 7,000 physicians-in-training in permanent positions in accordance with the terms of general civil service regulations.

The doctors are currently working on temporary contracts, which means they are not entitled to housing and other services.

The Physicians-in-Training Coordination Centre joined the initiative by submitting collective resignations.

They reject former solutions agreed on with the federal Ministry of Health, which had offered to provide accommodation for 7,000 physicians-in-training in two batches.

Mohamed Awad, member of the Coordination Centre, said that the centre decided to reject the offer in order to enforce the demands of the initiative, with a comprehensive strike.

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