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HomeAfricaAlgerian Doctors in France: €1,400 Salary, Oqtf…Here Is Everything They Endure

Algerian Doctors in France: €1,400 Salary, Oqtf…Here Is Everything They Endure

In the medical landscape in France, foreign doctors, particularly Algerians, play a vital role. They represent a significant part of the workforce in public health establishments, thus helping to keep the French healthcare system afloat. However, behind this essential contribution are often hidden stories of struggle, precariousness, and the search for recognition.

“I am 42 years old, I have been working for eight years in the same place in France. I have fifteen years of training and twelve years of professional experience, the first four of which were in Algeria. It’s not nothing ! “, declares Dr. Kahina Hireche-Ziani, Franco-Algerian practitioner and union activist, who embodies this reality for the French media Télégramme. As general secretary and spokesperson for the national union SOS Padhue, she fights to make the concerns and difficulties encountered by this community of health professionals, and in particular, by Algerian doctors established in France, heard.

Foreign doctors, particularly those qualified outside the European Union, including Algerians, face multiple challenges when practicing in France. The procedures for obtaining diploma equivalence and authorization to practice can be long and complex, which often delays their integration into the French health system. Furthermore, even once authorized to practice, these doctors often face precarious working conditions and insufficient levels of remuneration.

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In many cases, foreign doctors work in difficult conditions, without job security, and with low salaries. “They are essential to maintaining the country’s healthcare system,” says Dr. Hireche-Ziani. However, they often find themselves faced with situations of financial precarity, barely earning enough to meet their basic needs.

It should be noted that foreign doctors in internal positions (FFI) often only receive a monthly salary of €1,400, despite their impressive career path including years of study and experience, both in their country of origin. than in France. In the case of the Algerian practitioner, this represents 15 years of study and 12 years of experience. In addition, they take on a heavier workload than average, carrying out a higher number of shifts.

Besides economic challenges, foreign doctors also face social and administrative challenges. The process of renewing residence permits can be complicated and stressful, adding another layer of uncertainty to their daily lives. In addition, these doctors often face linguistic and cultural barriers which make their integration into French society even more difficult.

Indeed, some of these practitioners encounter difficulties in renewing their residence permits, but they persist in working because their contribution is essential. Others are facing orders to leave French territory (OQTF). In addition, as Dr. Hireche-Ziani points out, they do not always have access to decent housing or mutual coverage, which aggravates their precarious situation.

In this difficult context, the struggle of foreign doctors to obtain recognition and fair rights is essential. “They don’t always have decent housing, not always health insurance,” says Dr. Hireche-Ziani. She works tirelessly to raise awareness among the public and policymakers about the challenges faced by these healthcare professionals.

Last January, President Macron publicly recognized the importance of foreign doctors for the French health system. He promised reforms aimed at making qualification recognition procedures more flexible and improving the working conditions of these professionals. “There is a lot of hypocrisy about the Padhue,” adds Dr. Hireche-Ziani, emphasizing that concrete actions are needed to ensure real change.

The fight for the recognition and rights of foreign doctors in France is far from over. However, thanks to the commitment and determination of activists like Dr. Hireche-Ziani, hope remains for better recognition and better integration of this community of health professionals. Ultimately, it is society as a whole that will benefit from a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable healthcare system.

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