Скачать или смотреть Russian medical workers protest job cuts

Thousands of medical workers have staged a demonstration in Moscow to protest reforms, including job cuts.

Organizers said more than 3,000 people took part in the rally in the Russian capital on Sunday.

Sanctions by Western countries over the situation in Ukraine and a decline in crude oil prices have been damaging the Russian economy. Its ruble currency has hit a record low, and stock prices are slumping.

Under the circumstances, the government is pushing health care reforms as part of fiscal restraint efforts.

More than 7,000 government medical employees, including doctors, are expected to lose their jobs. Over 20 hospitals and clinics could be closed in Moscow alone.

Protesters said the government should cut the number of bureaucrats first, not doctors.

The government led by President Vladimir Putin has been enjoying high approval rates as it takes a confrontational stance toward Western nations over Ukraine.

Large demonstrations to criticize government policies have rarely been seen in Russia these days.

But an opinion poll shows that 80 percent of respondents feel their daily lives are being negatively impacted.