22 Sep 2005

Samoa's opposition leader condemns handling of doctor strike

3:55 pm on 22 September 2005

Samoa's opposition leader has criticised the government's handling of the doctors' strike.

The strike, by government paid doctors in the public health sector, is about to enter its third week.

But Le Mamea Ropati says the government hasn't responded to doctors' demands for better pay and working conditions for the last three years.

He says now the government is dealing with the strike by getting in doctors from India and China who don't speak English.

Le Mamea says the entire health sector needs to be reviewed.

"There's ongoing investigations into quite a lot of funds, especially World Health funds, missing from the health department and also patients also sent to New Zealand - there is quite a lot, the district hospitals are neglected and so I called for a commission of inquiry."

Samoa's opposition leader, Le Mamea Ropati