Minister accuses pharmacists of doing politics.

The Algerian health minister, Said Berkat, yesterday announced that his department has accepted to reconsider the pharmacists’ benefit margin calculated at 17%, only if it includes generics as part of the government’s strategy to boost the use of these medicines in a bid to reduce the importation’s bill amounted to USD 800 millions in 2008.

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• Talking on a radio program, the minister indicated that- he was ready to start negotiations with the different unions to discuss their requests, but the problem is that there are too many unions operating in the health sector that ask for a meeting with his department at the same time.
• To recall, The National Pharmacists Union is pressing for an increase in the benefits to a level of 20% for more than a year, but the government didn’t reveal the rate’s increase yet.
• The minister’s decision to start negotiations comes as a reaction to the pharmacists’ threat to go on a general strike nationwide to outcry their discontent and condemn the prevailing situation. 
• He also slashed at the professionals of the sector accusing them of behaving rather like politicians in stead of practicing their craft, in the sense that they chose a symbolic date (24 February)  to start their strike