Albania’s Union of Healthcare Workers have announced a protest to raise awareness on their situation during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a press release on Wednesday, the Union said they will protest at 10 a.m. on Thursday in Tirana’s main hospital to ask for more support from the government, president and opposition.
Shortly after, the police refused to allow the protest, stating that it would endanger the health of healthcare workers due to the high risk of virus transmission in gatherings.
Prime Minister Edi Rama then invited them to meet with government officials 30 minute before the start of the protest.
The Union laid out four demands in their press release:
- Medical personnel dying from the novel coronavirus should be declared national martyrs
- Medical personnel should be provided with life insurance
- Salaries should increase
- They should be provided better working conditions to prevent infections
Three Albanian doctors – Anibal Byberi, Hysni Shkjau and Arian Pushi – have lost their lives while fighting the coronavirus at work.
