Ministry sees no reason for Mozambican health professionals to strike – Africa

The Ministry of Health (Misau) of Mozambique said this Monday that there were “no reasons” for the resumption of the health professionals’ strike, but guaranteed that it would “ensure the continuity of the provision of health services to the population”.

“Misau understands that there are no reasons to call the aforementioned strike and reiterates that dialogue must continue to be the way to resolve challenges in the Health sector”, reads a statement regarding the start of this strike.

Mozambican health professionals announced the resumption, starting this Monday, of a strike to demand better working conditions in the sector, saying that they will not give in to new proposals from the Government to suspend it.

“This time we are going to talk on strike. The promises are not being fulfilled,” the president of the Association of United and Solidarity Health Professionals of Mozambique (APSUSM), Anselmo Muchave, told Lusa, mentioning possible proposals from the executive for the suspension of the strike.

The strike by employees and health agents will be carried out for 30 days, which can be extended, according to APSUSM.

“Misau hopes that professionalism, the spirit of dialogue and love for others will prevail. However, in the event of a work stoppage, Misau will ensure the continuity of the provision of health services to the population”, reads the reaction of that ministry.

It also recalls that this strike “presents the same content”, in terms of demands, made by that association on March 25, 2024.

“After two days, on March 27, 2024, APSUSM issued a statement calling off the strike in recognition of the degree of satisfaction of its demands by the Government. The negotiation process with professional health associations has been led by a Multisectoral Commission created by the Government and has been resolving the concerns raised”, highlights Misau.

He adds that there is currently “discussion on a new request” presented by that association, “for Misau to provide a monthly deduction of 1% of the salary to all health professionals (with the exception of doctors and dentists), for the payment of dues, to be channeled to APSUSM’s bank account”.

“Misau’s understanding is that any discount on an employee’s salary, outside of what is provided for in current legislation, requires the employee’s consent, upon presentation of a declaration certified by a notary”, he also points out.

The return to strike for these professionals had been scheduled for March 28, but it was suspended the day before it took place following talks with the Mozambican Government, which culminated in the fulfillment of some points of the demand, including the classification of professionals of health, monitoring visits to hospital units and the resolution of irregularities in the payment of subsidies, APSUSM said at the time.

Almost 30 days after the suspension of the strike, Mozambican health professionals once again complained about government non-compliance and the failure to carry out visits to monitor compliance with agreements between the parties, saying that hospitals “are worse than at the beginning of the dialogue”.

“When we announced the strike, we said out loud that our health units are seriously suffering from the lack of surgical and hospital medical supplies and medicines. The Government made a commitment to reverse this situation, but unfortunately our health units are worse than at the beginning of our dialogue”, reads the association’s document, about this new strike.

At issue was a negotiation that was ongoing in 2023 between the Mozambican Government and APSUSM, an association that covers around 65,000 professionals and that went on strike between August and November 2023, for better working conditions in the public sector.

They complain about the lack of medicines, beds and ambulances in hospitals, as well as non-disposable personal protective equipment, which is “forcing employees to buy out of their own pockets”.