Health and Social care services

The "NO to CUS" coalition composed of the ATE, CTA, FESPROSA , the General Medicine Federation and other organisations met in Buenos Aires on 9 March, only 48 hours after the national health sector strike against the wage ceiling, and in support of a wage increase in line with inflation and unrestricted negotiations.

A step further towards safe and effective staffing for health was taken in Germany, in the first week of March. The Federal Ministry of Health's expert committee on hospital nursing staff issued a report stating that quality of patient care is impacted by staffing levels, and called for binding minimal nursing staff levels to ensure safe and effective hospital care.

The health and social care sector in Finland is on the pathway to major reforms. Provision of services by the 313 Finnish municipalities are to be transferred to 18 autonomous regions (Social and Healthcare (SOTE) areas) to be created by 2019.

Public sector trade unions will demonstrate actively across Europe on 7 April, World Health Day, in the second action day against commercialisation, market-isation and privatisation of health care. World Health Day has been “chosen by health users and workers, citizen collectives, trade unions and NGOs to demonstrate against Health commodification.”

The Australian health care system is often projected as one of the most efficient and effective in the world, with its universal Medicare system. Medicare is a universal insurance scheme that initially allowed free healthcare at point of access, regardless of income; funded through the country’s taxation system.

At the end of the Ebola crisis in the Mano River Basin, the Liberian government declared its commitment to building a resilient health care delivery system. However, the Liberian government left the same management in place and, unsurprisingly, working conditions for health workers have not improved.