Cancer Patients Not Spared Inconvenience, Waiting
Although oncological treatment was not supposed to be affected, a leading daily reported that the strike has seriously inconvienced at least one patient struggling in the aftermath of breast cancer surgery last year.
The woman had been in severe pain for several weeks when she went to the North Estonia Medical Center's oncology department yesterday.
A nurse told her that an appointment can't take place until November but that she could be seen in the emergency room, where oncologists and hematologists are on duty. The department's director, Vahur Valvere, confirmed to Postimees that new appointments are not being made place until after the strike has ended.
“She was in shock yesterday and cried all evening. There is nothing she can do. She was just up all night and cried because she had such bad chest pains,” the patient's husband told Postimees.
The health care workers' strike began on October 1.
The strike is affecting both outpatient and inpatient care to varying degrees at hospitals in Tallinn, Tartu, Pärnu, Kuressaare, Viljandi and Narva.