International medicine

Czech MDs prepare to strike

Early last spring, Czech doctors voted on whether or not to go on strike. A decade ago, under the communist regime, such action would have been unthinkable. Currently their salaries are on par with those of secretaries, at about Cdn$3.50 per hour. They were seeking a 66% raise. [CMAJ 1999;161(2):185]

Médecins sans Frontiéres

Montreal native, Dr. James Orbinski is the first Canadian president of the International Council of Médecins sans Frontiéres/Doctors without Borders (MSF). The organization has 2000 volunteers in 80 countries and is known for providing medical relief during high-intensity conflicts. Orbinski, 38, has worked in the heart of some of the world's greatest miseries in Rwanda, Zaire, Somalia, Peru and Zambia. CMAJ 1999; 160(6):964

In September 1999 MSF was honoured with the 1999 Nobel Peace Prize. "This great tribute bestowed on Médecins Sans Frontières is shared by all physicians who work toward helping those in need and with little recourse to professional and immediate healthcare assistance," wrote Dr. Hugh Scully, the CMA president, in a letter congratulating MSF. [CMA News 1999;9(12):1]

New Zealand's parallel system

New Zealand once embraced a cradle-to-grave, welfare-state philosophy but now has a parallel private health care system - and a growing gap between rich and poor. [CMAJ 1999;161(5):569-71]

Polish health reform forges ahead

Health care reform is part of a massive restructuring of services that the Polish government introduced in 1999. For some physicians, the pace of reform is a bit too fast. The most important change for patients is that family practitioners are now "gatekeepers." Patients can no longer go straight to a specialist. However many Poles report it takes days to see their doctor. [CMAJ 1999;161(6):739-40]