Doctors' strike raises health concerns

Medical experts have warned of potential health risks which may arise from a planned strike by public health doctors.

The strike is scheduled to begin at midnight tonight.

Members of the Irish Medical Organisation will withdraw their services and pickets are to be placed on the National Disease Surveillance Centre in Dublin and at hospitals and Health Board offices throughout the country.

The result is that infectious disease centres will effectively shut their doors.

Fergal Bowers of medical website irishhealth.com says the timing of the strike is of grave concern.

"It's a very serious dispute. Doctors have decided that they will only provide emergency cover from 9am to 5pm weekdays. A strike that's going to affect the monitoring of measles, meningitis outbreaks and also food poisoning outbreaks is clearly going to concern the public".