Rural doctors, nurses demand change of Thai health minister

BANGKOK, March 26 (TNA) - Over 800 black-clad rural doctors, dentists and nurses rallied in front of Bangkok's Government House on Tuesday morning to demand the ouster of incumbent Public Health Minister Pradit Sintawanarong, who plans to replace their fixed returns with a pay for performance or P4P system. Dr. Kriangsak Watcharanukulkiat, head of the Rural Doctor Society, argued that the new policy undermines the morale of the provincial medical personnel. Besides, the demonstrators protest against the public health minister’s decisions to transfer independent health organizations to be under his jurisdiction and to promote the Thai government's medical hub policy in the way that prompts doctors to leave public hospitals for private ones. The protesters also brought a mock coffin of the incumbent public health minister to the demonstration venue and vowed to stay at the government seat until their demands are heeded. Apart from the doctors and the nurses, health academics who want permanent positions, members of the Government Pension Fund or GPF and employees of the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) also rallied at the Government House, causing traffic congestion in its vicinity. (TNA)