Government stresses openness to negotiating with health workers

Maputo, 26 Aug (AIM) – Mozambican Prime Minister Adriano Maleiane guaranteed on Friday that the government will continue to negotiate with doctors and other health professionals in order to end the wave of strikes in the health sector.

According to Maleiane, who was speaking during a working visit to the National Health Institute (INS), although negotiations are still underway with health sector professionals, a great deal has already been done and all that remains is to see what is missing.

“I think the negotiations started a long time ago, now we just have to see what really hasn’t been finalized in order to understand each other,” he said.

Doctors, represented by the Mozambique Medical Association (AMM), suspended their strike on Thursday, after stopping work in various health units throughout the country for about a month and a half. But, if their demands are not met, they threaten to resume the strike as of 2 October.

However, the Association of United Mozambican Health Professionals (APSUSM), which claims to represent all workers in the health service except doctors, on Thursday declared, not only that it will continue its strike, but that it will withdraw even minimum services from the public hospitals.

“Negotiations must take a realistic approach”, said Maleiane, “taking into account where we are and whether what we’re asking for is possible. That’s the constructive dialogue I hope to have”.

The Prime Minister was on Tuesday appointed by the Council of Ministers (Cabinet) to lead a working group that will conduct negotiations on the strikes, replacing the Minister of Heath, Armindo Tiago.

“Society doesn’t want strikes, and the same goes for health professionals”, he declared.

Maleiane added that he sees no need for mediators in the dispute between the government and the AMM.

“Right now, it’s not necessary”, he said. “Mediators are only needed when there is a crisis. When you reach the point of needing mediators, then the situation is difficult. We haven’t reached that phase yet”.

He promised that his team would also speak to the APSUSM leaders. The APSUSM strike shows no sign of ending. Reporters on Friday found that several of the health units they visited were paralysed because of the absence of nurses and auxiliary staff.

So even with all the doctors back at work, patients are finding it hard to obtain the care they need.

(AIM)

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