Representatives from the Association of Doctors and Dentists (AMMD) convened for their general assembly on Wednesday afternoon and addressed the recent series of resignations at the Centre Hospitalier du Nord (CHdN) in Ettelbruck, blaming failed healthcare policies for the group's decision to leave.
No fewer than six cardiologists and one medical director stepped down from their duties at the CHdN in Ettelbruck in the span of just one week. According to AMMD officials, the pressure of on-duty shifts and the general work conditions led to the serial resignations.
Around 250 practitioners gathered at the Atert Centre in Bertrange on Wednesday afternoon. Dr Jean-Paul Schwartz, member of the AMMD board of administrations, addressed the assembly: "Unfortunately, fewer doctors increasingly have to deal with a greater number of diverse patients in a shorter span of time and with a limited amount of equipment."
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The majority of members present at the AMMD assembly showed a red card to Luxembourg's current healthcare policies. Some voices argued that politicians prefer to tell nice stories, pose for pictures at inaugurations, and present gifts to potential voters instead of implementing productive policies.
According to AMMD vice president Dr Philippe Wilmes, politicians lack vision and often bet on hope: "These healthcare policies aspire to better days. They hope that doctors return to the country and that all the problems they caused simply vanish into thin air. Policies are based on ideology, ignorance, frivolity, incoherence, and incompetence."
Not only doctors are unsatisfied by the care they have to provide here in Luxembourg, patients are also dismayed over the level of care they receive, further argued officials. This includes extensive waiting periods and limited options for some treatments here in the Grand Duchy.
Dr Wilmes concluded that the healthcare round-table represents a missed opportunity, but that there is still reason to hope that matters improve. For that to happen, doctors and patients need to fight together for the next twelve months and work towards better healthcare policies.
