Doctors’ strike extends patient wait times at Mozambique’s largest medical facility

A doctors’ strike that began on Monday in Mozambique has extended patient waiting times at the Maputo Central Hospital (HCM), the clinical director of the country’s largest hospital told Lusa.

“We have all emergency services working, but with a small number of doctors. […] We had to tighten triage so as not to leave patients in a serious situation on the sidelines, and the rest are explained that the process will take as long as it takes, but, fortunately, they will be listened to, ”explained António Assis.

This is a national strike organized by the Medical Association of Mozambique (AMM) to protest wage cuts and non-payment of overtime.

At the Maputo Central Hospital, which employs about 600 doctors, the strike is promoted mainly by subspecialty doctors, who, according to the director of the clinic, are in the majority in this medical department.

Emergency services are among the departments most affected by the strike, although they continue to function thanks to the efforts of doctors who did not join the protest, mostly elderly people, António Assis said.

The AMM is demanding that the Government of Mozambique honor the agreement reached to replace the wage cuts caused by the introduction of the new Uniform Payroll (TSU) and proceed with overtime pay.

“Medical workers joined the strike with enthusiasm, although obviously with some sadness, because our function is to save lives,” explained AMM spokesman Napoleon Viola, stressing that this is a strike in which the minimum service continues to be provided. provided in health centers.

The association estimates that 78% of doctors out of 3,000 professionals in the public service are on strike.

“We had our last negotiating session almost a week ago and until today there was no consensus,” Napoleon Viola noted, criticizing the alleged lack of sensitivity on the part of the Mozambican executive regarding the class.

This is the second strike of doctors in less than a year, after the suspension of another announced in December due to the lack of results of agreements reached with the government during negotiations held at the end of last year.

In addition to doctors, the Association of United and Solidary Medical Workers of Mozambique also went on strike last month against the application of the new salary table, giving the government a 60-day period to settle at least part of the claims. , professionals.

The introduction of a new salary scale in the public service is a matter of fierce debate from various professional groups, especially doctors, judges and teachers.