Belarusian doctors make $1300 a month in Moscow

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Estonian doctors are on strike. The Union of Estonian Doctors insists that the wages should be increased by 20% for doctors and by 40% - for nurses and hospital attendants. Estonian doctors are not happy about the large scope of their commitments either.

“Many doctors and nurses are going abroad to work. The wages in Scandinavian countries like Finland are several times higher. The doctors who have stayed have to work more and they are not satisfied with the wages. We are not able to provide the needed quality of medical assistance anymore," Andreas Leithnet, Tallinn psychiatrist, told Euroradio.

Estonian doctors made 1391 euro a month in 2011. Minsk doctors from hospital #2 made about 645 dollars in August 2012. However, it is not that simple, Andreas Leithnet thinks.

Andreas Leithnet: “Estonia is surrounded by countries where doctors get paid more. We should think about those who have stayed in Estonia, that is why the wages need to be increased."

Many Belarusian doctors also have to work more because their colleagues have left the state.

Belarusian doctors are welcomed in Russia. They are offered 1300 dollars a month at the very beginning - twice as more than in Belarus.

However, Belarusian doctors do not strike:

“Why don't Belarusian teachers strike? The reason is the same - where will you find a job afterwards?"

Euroradio asked the Belarusian Trade Union of Healthcare whether doctors complain about low wages or bad working conditions. It turned out that there had not been a single(!) complain in several years.  

Meanwhile, Estonian doctors hope that a one-week strike should be enough.

gazeta.a42.ru