The Dominican Social Security Institute (IDSS) and the IDSS Medical Group (AMIDSS), which represents doctors employed by IDSS, yesterday signed an agreement to try to resolve their dispute over the dismissal last week of 242 doctors. After the sudden dismissals the AMIDSS and the larger Dominican Medical Association (AMD) had put their members on alert and threatened to go on a national strike. The doctors’ groups argued that most, if not all, of the dismissals had not been justified and that the dismissals did not follow current Dominican law regarding contracting medical services (Law 6097). Under the agreement reached yesterday, IDSS will review each doctor’s file individually, and give special consideration to those who work in the country’s interior provinces. IDSS also pledges to follow strictly the rules and procedures set out in Law 6097.
