Staff at a Brussels hospital turned their backs on Belgian Prime Minister Sophie Wilmes as she arrived for a visit because of complaints about her handling of Covid-19.
Nurses and other staff turned their backs as her official car arrived at Saint Pierre hospital on Saturday, in a complaint against under-resourcing and official decrees that could force them back to work, Belgian media reported.
#BELGIUM - Protest against the Prime Minister Sophie Wilmes, hospital St. Pierre in Brussels.#coronavirus pic.twitter.com/fFsfgtfHKd
— Ali Özkök (@Ozkok_A) May 16, 2020
“Politicians constantly turn their backs on our appeals for help," one nurse told the RTBF broadcaster.
"The teams are under-staffed and the burnout rates show it. We want the profession to be valued properly."
A spokesman for Ms Wilmes said she spoke for 40 minutes with representatives of the protesting staff, and that the atmosphere inside the hospital had been more cordial.
She said talking to the hospital staff had been an "important moment" and that “nothing was off limits” during her talks with medics.
Belgium has one of the world's highest per capita death tolls, although the virus appears to be easing and lockdown restrictions are starting to be lifted.
Belgium has recorded 55,280 confirmed cases of Covid-19 with more than 9,000 deaths.
