Ministry refutes discrimination allegation by mother

The Health Ministry has rejected allegations of discrimination against a female doctor regarding the recruitment process at the National Health System (ESY).

The biopathologist-microbiologist in question claims she fell victim to gender discrimination after she was not hired by ESY with the excuse that she had two young children.

“The fact that a woman is rejected for this reason should be of concern for all doctors, of all genders, who are claiming a place in the National Health System. They push us not to have children, if not outright to get sterilized,” she told Open TV.

In response, the Health Ministry denied that motherhood was the reason why she was not picked for the job, clarifying that the doctor, a woman, who was hired to the post, was selected on strictly meritocratic grounds.

“This doctor had the most formal qualifications (qualifications and previous service) – hence the highest score – and the same marital status as the complainant,” the ministry said, stressing that “motherhood could in no way be a deterrent to recruitment into the National Health System.”