Maputo, 1 Jun (AIM) – The Mozambican Minister of Health, Armindo Tiago, on Wednesday urged members of the Association of Health Professionals (APSUSM) to drop plans for a nationwide strike, scheduled to begin on Thursday and last for the next 20 days, in protest against poor working conditions and salaries.
According to a report carried by the independent television station, STV, Tiago discouraged the call for strike action, and called on the Association to resort to a friendly dialogue to sort out their concerns.
“We entreat our colleagues to drop any strike plans, because such a move does not lead to any solution of their concerns. As the Ministry of Health, we have started negotiations with the association, and we want them to understand that only through dialogue can we each common ground,” Tiago said.
For about a fortnight, people claimed to represent the APSUSM have been threatening to halt the delivery of health services, should the government fail to address their concerns.
Prior to these threats, the APSUSM was completely unknown, and the Health Ministry wondered if it had even applied for legal status as an association.
The Association has deplored the irregularities over pay and the lack of personal protective equipment at the laboratories of the country’s health care units. Tiago, however, has denied that there is any shortage of protective equipment.
Tiago restated that the professionals should use appropriate channels to express their claims. “There is a normal mechanism for channelling problems”, he declared.
(AIM)
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