Medical strike in Paraguay begins following failed negotiations

Doctors in Paraguay have launched a national strike running from August 24 to August 28 following the failure of tripartite negotiations with the government. The Sindicato Nacional de Médicos (Sinamed) is demanding salary adjustments to combat inflation, the regularization of contract workers—noting that 9,000 out of 11,000 public health doctors are currently on contract—and improved working conditions, including double pay for holidays.

While outpatient consultations and scheduled surgeries will be suspended, the Ministry of Health has mandated that essential services remain operational. These include intensive care units (adult, pediatric, and neonatal), emergency and urgent care, maternity services, dialysis, oncology, and blood banks.

In a separate labor action, university professors in Argentina, represented by CONADU and FEDUBA, have announced a 48-hour national strike for August 27 and 28. The educators are protesting against the lack of budget transfers required by the University Financing Law and significant salary losses due to inflation.