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Tag: Health professionals/workforce

  • French Senate adopts pension reform as street protests continue

    French Senate adopts pension reform as street protests continue

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    The French Senate voted in favor of the controversial pension reform overnight, paving the way for a potential final adoption of the law on Thursday, as thousands of people continue to demonstrate across the country.

    The widespread opposition to the retirement overhaul is a political test to French President Emmanuel Macron, whose liberal party has been struggling to pass the reform ever since it lost its majority in parliament last summer.

    “A decisive step to bring about a reform that will ensure the future of our pensions. Totally committed to allow a final adoption in the next few days,” French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne tweeted after the vote.

    The French government wants to change the retirement age from 62 to 64, with a full pension requiring 43 years of work as of 2027. The right-leaning Senate adopted the reform with 195 in favor and 112 against the measure.

    Hundreds of thousands of people demonstrated across France on Saturday, and protests were expected to continue on Sunday. So far, strikes have disrupted sectors including public transport, oil refineries, schools and airports.

    On Sunday, Laurent Berger — who heads the largest French labor union — said: “I call on parliamentarians to see what’s happening in their districts. … You can’t vote for a reform that’s rejected by so many in the workforce.”

    During the presidential campaign, Macron vowed to reform the French pension system to bring it in line with other European countries like Spain and Germany, where the retirement age is 65 to 67 years old.

    Official forecasts show that the French pensions system is financially in balance for now, but it’s expected to build up a deficit in the longer term.

    French labor unions are calling for a “powerful day of strikes and demonstrations” on Wednesday, when lawmakers from the Senate and National Assembly are set to hold a small-group meeting to find a compromise on the pensions revamp. If they do reach an agreement, the law could be adopted on Thursday.

    The government could also ultimately decide to adopt the revamp using an exceptional procedure that requires no parliamentary vote.



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    ( With inputs from : www.politico.eu )

  • WHO: Turkey, Syria earthquakes ‘worst natural disaster’ in European region in a century

    WHO: Turkey, Syria earthquakes ‘worst natural disaster’ in European region in a century

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    The powerful earthquakes that struck central Turkey and northwest Syria just over a week ago are the “worst natural disaster in the WHO European Region for a century,” said Hans Kluge, the World Health Organization’s regional director for Europe.

    “We are still learning about its magnitude. Its true cost is not known yet,” Kluge said during a press briefing today.

    The WHO’s European Region includes 53 European and Central Asian countries, including Turkey.

    More than 31,000 people are confirmed dead in Turkey, and nearly 5,000 lost their lives across the border in Syria, he said, adding that the figures are expected to rise further. He added that 26 million people across both countries are in need of humanitarian assistance.

    The WHO launched a $43 million appeal to support the earthquake response, with likely more to come.

    “I expect this to at least double over the coming days as we get a better assessment of the massive scale of this crisis and the needs,” Kluge said.

    With water and sanitation facilities being hit, concerns are mounting over health issues, including the spread of infectious diseases. Health care facilities have also been gravely damaged.

    “According to the Turkish authorities, an estimated 80,000 people are in hospital, placing a huge strain on the health system, itself badly damaged by the disaster,” Kluge said.

    “We have initiated the largest deployment of Emergency Medical Teams in the WHO European Region in our 75-year history,” he added. Their goal is to support the damaged medical facilities, focusing on the high number of trauma patients and those with catastrophic injuries.



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    ( With inputs from : www.politico.eu )