Public doctors association not to join strike

Public doctors association not to join strike

The Hong Kong Public Doctors' Association's president said on Wednesday that the group will not take part in or support a planned strike that is aimed at pressing the government to do more in light of the Wuhan virus scare.



Some Hospital Authority workers are planning a strike on February 3 to try to force the authorities to ban travellers coming through all mainland borders and provide better protective gear for medical workers.



But Arisina Ma said her association could not reach a consensus on the industrial action.



"Personally I think it's a very difficult decision and also a very painful decision," she told RTHK's Candice Wong.



"Because we represent both senior and frontline doctors, our association cannot make a conclusion or a sentiment about joining the strike or not."



She added that a lot of doctors have reservations about the idea because of their important role in daily clinical care, despite being discouraged by government actions so far in containing the new coronavirus.



Ma said her colleagues are fearing for their lives that they could be infected by the deadly coronavirus.



She pointed out that some medical staff are upset at the attitude of the government in handling the crisis.



"Some of our colleagues and some of our citizens really think that our government seems to... most of the policy leans to the mainland government, seems our government lost their independence," she said.



She added that some medical workers felt that the management does not act promptly or considerately.



She also noted that some demands made by healthcare workers are out of the power of the Hospital Authority.



She said she hopes the government can take more aggressive measures to control the border and incoming sick travellers to contain the epidemic.



"I hope that the Food and Health Bureau or the central government, please listen to not just the healthcare workers, actually this is the sentiment of the whole city, of most of the Hong Kong people," she said.