Mozambique: Government is open to discussing wages and conditions, says health minister – AIM

Login

Register

http://www.clubofmozambique.com/

Mozambique: Government is open to discussing wages and conditions, says health minister – AIM

9:43 CAT | 03 Jun 2023

FILE - For illustration purposes only. [File photo: O País]

The Mozambican health minister, Armindo Tiago, on Thursday repeated that the government is still open to addressing the wages and working conditions of the health professionals.

Tiago was speaking in the central city of Beira on the first day of a strike declared by the Mozambican Association of Health Professionals (APSUSM).

“Although there are legitimate claims from the health professionals, it is important to have good sense”, the minister said, addressing health professionals at Beira Central Hospital.

According to Tiago, any health professional must be focused on saving lives, honouring the oath that he swore during his training, “Strikes do not save problems”, he said, “and citizens have right to freedom and health.”

“We understand that problems exist but they must not be solved at the expense of the suffering of the users of the health service. We are open to discussing and solving the issue”, he added.

Until last month, APSUSM was unknown. It is not yet clear how many members it has, or how much support its demands enjoy among health workers as a whole. No figures are yet available on how many professionals have heeded the call to take strike action.

Certainly, the strike is having damaging effects in some health units. Thus, in the Malhangalene Health Center, in Maputo city, for example, the workers are refusing to assist patients. Instead, they send them away asking “don’t you know that we are on strike?”

In Matola Provincial Hospital, there are reports that some hospitalised patients have been forced to leave their beds due to the absence of health professionals.

“They have been sent away to die in peace at home”, said one source, speaking to AIM, on condition of anonymity, adding “we hope that the government and the health professionals find a way out. It must not continue like this, the services are partially stopped.”

According to APSUSM, in the statement that it sent to Prime Minister Adriano Maleiane, the government must create “human” conditions of work because “in the difficult situations that the country is going through, nurses are seen as professionals in the front line, but when it comes to rights they are placed at the back. If the problems are not solved, we will begin a 25-day work stoppage, in all health units throughout the country.”

Source: AIM