Mozambique: Doctors move from administrative positions to front line – Watch

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Mozambique: Doctors move from administrative positions to front line – Watch

9:26 CAT | 15 Feb 2021

Photo: O País

The Mozambican health authorities have moved dozens of doctors from administrative and management jobs in the Health Ministry to spend at least part of their time in hospitals, thus relieving front line staff coping with the Covid-19 pandemic.

Health Minister Armindo Tiago was one of 100 doctors who left their desk jobs to attend to patients in health units in Greater Maputo. Tiago worked on the medical wards of Maputo Central Hospital on Friday, and in the hospital’s emergency service on Saturday.

Tiago did not pull rank but reported to the director of the medical ward to receive information about the activities programmed for Friday, and then approached various of the patients to discuss their clinical condition.

“This is a time when there is enormous pressure on the health professionals, and it is fundamental that all those who can make a contribution to assist and alleviate the weight on our colleagues should be here”, Tiago told the independent television station STV. “I am a specialist doctor and so I have enough competence to be working and helping our colleagues”.

Covid-19 has taken a heavy toll on the health service. Five Mozambican doctors are known to have died from the disease, and in Maputo Central Hospital alone over 350 health professionals were infected by Covid-19. Although most have recovered, the disease kept them away from the wards for at least 14 days of isolation.

Asked if the health service is at risk of collapse, Tiago said that is precisely what the Ministry intends to avoid.

“There is no collapse”, he said. “What we want to do is to ensure that we do not reach the point of collapse because of the tiredness of our colleagues. We want to increase the availability of doctors on duty, and reduce the pressure on our colleagues”.

The new orders for doctors who usually work in administrative jobs, to spend at least part of their time on the front line, are not time limited. Tiago, and the other 99 doctors taken from the Ministry will be working in the health units for an indeterminate period.

Source: AIM / STV