Quebec – More than 500 doctors in Quebec, Canada are protesting the salary increase they will receive. In an open letter, these doctors admitted they felt offended that their salaries had been increased, while nurses and their patients struggled to live their lives.

As reported by the media CNBCOn Thursday (8/3/2018), an open letter in French titled “We demand the cancellation of the salary increase” was signed by more than 500 doctors in the Quebec region, Canada.

There are 420 doctors listed, including 224 general practitioners and 196 specialist doctors, then 157 resident doctors and 165 koas or medical students who signed this open letter until Thursday (8/3) local time.

“We, Quebec doctors who believe in a strong public system, oppose the latest salary increases negotiated by our medical federation,” indicates the letter published on the doctors' association website. Quebec Doctors for the Public Plan (MQRP).
The MQRP group, which brings together doctors from Quebec, said it was offended by the salary increase they will receive, while nurses and patients are experiencing tough struggles in their respective lives.

“This pay increase is surprising as nurses, administrative staff and other professionals face extremely difficult work situations, while our patients live with a lack of access to necessary services due to drastic cuts in recent years and the centralization of power within the Ministry of Health. ” says the open letter which was published on February 25.

“The only thing that seems safe from reductions is our compensation,” the letter adds.

The doctors who signed this open letter requested that the budget intended for their salary increases be directed to the public health system.

“We, Quebec doctors, demand that the salary increase for doctors be canceled and that the system's resources be better allocated to the well-being of health workers and to decent health services for Quebecers,” we can read in the open letter.

A doctor in Canada earns a salary of 339,000 Canadian dollars (Rp 3.5 billion) per year. This amount is determined by the Canadian Ministry of Health, as reported by the Canadian Institute for Health Information in September 2017. On average, a family doctor who treats patients of all ages is paid 275,000 Canadian dollars (Rp 2.8 billion) per year and a specialist surgeon is paid 461,000 Canadian dollars (Rp 4.8 billion) per year.

The Canadian Institute for Health Information states that salary is the total gross salary per year. The amount of salary received by each doctor in Canada cannot be equalized. The extent of the pay increase that Canada's doctors are protesting is unclear.

(nvc/ita)