Last week Gundalai replaced the director of the cancer center, A. Munkhtaivan, citing his inability to control allegations of doctors taking bribes within the hospital, a reason which hospital employees reject.

“The publishing of false information about us accepting bribes to treat patients is giving wrong impressions to our clients. They have started accusing us of accepting bribes …how can we work in such conditions?” G. Purevdorj, a neck and head surgeon leading the committee of doctors who have tendered their resignation, said Thursday.

“We couldn’t take it anymore and that is why we handed in our letters of resignation.”

Yet the minister defended his replacement of the director and said that the doctors have no right to resign without government approval.

“The letters of resignation of these individuals is not an authorized action. They have no right to say that they want to resign one day and do it the next day. Also the law indicates that a employer will give the final answer in a month after notice,” Gundalai told MonInfo in an interview Thursday.

“In a week everything will fall back into place. It’s something that they are used to doing.”

However during Thursday’s protest the doctors presented the minister with a number of demands, including the reappointing of former director Munkhtaivan and putting a stop to what they say are false accusations.

Gundalai agreed to meet the doctors on Friday to discuss some of the issues raised by the hospital’s employees.

D. Munkhtuya, Human Resources department manager of the center, said 58 of the 72 doctors who work at the hospital had tendered their resignation. With some on leave, only six doctors are currently working, she said.

The State Oncological Center, which is the only center in Mongolia that can treat cancer patients, normally employs a total staff of 279.

Image courtesy www.moh.mn