MANAMA: A decision by the Civil Service Bureau (CSB) to not pay Bahraini doctors overtime has resulted in 120 consultant physicians at the state-run Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC) approaching the Bahrain Medical Society (BMS) to ask for their rights.
“Doctors are visiting wards on their off days and during weekends for four hours without any overtime. We need to immediately address this issue as they need to be compensated for the services they provide,” said Dr. Ahmed Jamal, president of BMS.
The BMS drafted a proposal that doctors should be on the same scale as other government employees who receive overtime allowance when working weekends.
Jamal said the proposal was sent to the CSB (the main government recruitment agency) and was rejected on the basis that consultants receive adequate salary.
In the past, patients admitted at the SMC during weekends had to wait till the next working day to be seen by consultants, and doctors were therefore asked to work on weekends to deal with complicated cases.
Jamal said, “If nothing transpires, we would raise the issue with Minister of Health Dr. Faisal Al-Hamer in the coming weeks. We are keeping all options open to fight for the doctors.”
Lawmakers in the country earlier met the health minister to work on a strategy to negotiate with Bahraini doctors who have migrated to the US and Europe to continue practicing in Bahrain.
