Know this name: Dr. Mona Mena, the female doctor who has ended the Muslim Brotherhood’s control over Egypt’s Doctors Syndicate after 28 years of total domination! A broad independent coalition has won 11 of the 12 seats available on the Doctors Syndicate's main board, ending the longstanding dominance of the Islamist group over the body. The Independence list included members of activist groups “Doctors Without Rights” and “Tahrir Doctors,” as well as independent candidates. Following this victory, Mena was elected as secretary-general of the syndicate. She is the first woman to become secretary-general of the Doctors Syndicate since 1949 and she is also the only Christian woman to ever be elected for this position. For Egypt now to advance forward toward true citizenship by looking up to things which were possible back in 1949 is a bit ironic but shows the ugly mask which the Brotherhood tried to cast on the face of Egypt over decades of infiltrating society in an attempt to change Egyptian identity and culture. It has taken two revolutions so far, and the battle still continues. After all, Egypt gave birth to Merit-PTA, the first female doctor in recorded history.
A pediatrician, leftist revolutionary and an avid defender of Egyptians’ right for decent state-guaranteed medical care, Mena wants Egypt to increase its public health care budget from 4% to 15% of government spending. Mena is also a veteran who long fought for doctors' rights, where she was instrumental in organizing several strikes with innovative ways of protesting. On one occasion, protesting doctors organized a campaign where they cleaned cars in the streets to voice their anger over ludicrously low compensation and deteriorating safety and working conditions.
