SIPTU members and activists joined with colleagues from the European Public Services Union (EPSU) on World Health Day 2016 (Thursday, 7th April) to protest outside the European Commission, Brussels, to highlight the threat of the increasing privatisation of health services across Europe. Addressing the protest, SIPTU Health Division Organiser, Paul Bell, said: “The time has come for Governments across Europe to insist that the well-being of patients must come before private health care interests wish to generate profits. “Governments must commit to adequately fund public health care services as the provider of choice for the citizens they serve.” He added: “The Irish Government must now have an honest conversation with our citizens and make a solid commitment that global trade agreements such as TTIP, TISA and CETA are not to be used as a vehicle for the wholesale sell-off of Ireland’s health service.” EPSU General Secretary, Jans Willem Goudriaan, said: “The pursuit of profits must never trump the duty of care to patients; our health and wellbeing is not a commodity to be sold to the lowest bidder. On World Health Day 2016 we call on all European Governments to give health care the support and investment it desperately needs.”
SIPTU participates in European Day of Action against the privatisation of health care
