Radio Praha (sorry, not available on line)
Doctors' trade unions have called a one-day strike on October 6th in protest of low wages. Striking doctors are expected to protest outside the government building where the Cabinet meets for its regular Wednesday sessions. Health minister Ivan David on Tuesday confirmed that the health sector's problems would be on the agenda of today's Cabinet session , promising that a number of ailing hospitals would receive government aid by the end of November. However he made it clear that the 22 million crowns which is to be distributed among heavily indebted Czech hospitals must be used to settle their outstanding debts. We are not prepared to finance higher wages and bonuses, the minister warned. A number of Czech medical centres are on the brink of bankruptcy, a situation that has become life-threatening to patients in some areas of the country.