The Mozambican Medical Association (AMM) claims that health professionals in Sofala province are being intimidated with threats of disciplinary action.

Among the threats are the lack of change and career progression, but "we are in Mozambique. We already knew this could happen. However, we remain firm in our resolve to see our demands taken into account by those who have the right to do so."

The AMM spokesman gave this information after a monitoring visit by the association's board to the province's health units, in particular the Beira Central Hospital, to find out about the strike situation.

Although adherence to the strike is increasing, Napoleão Viola clarified that "this is not what makes the medical profession happy. What will make us happy is if one day we actually manage to reach a consensus with the government so that the situation can be resolved".

The spokesperson for the XXV session of the Council of Ministers, Filimão Suaze, explained today at a press conference that striking doctors could face disciplinary sanctions, including being marked absent from work and the consequences that could result.

He also said that if threats are occurring, they are not the government's responsibility and that the actors must be held accountable.

The AMM also says that after five days of strike action, it has yet to hold talks with the Ministry of Health staff.

"At the moment there is no formal communication in the sense of negotiation between the parties. As usual, the Ministry of Health has not called the Medical Association at any time so that we can sit down at the negotiating table, which at the moment is not happening," said Napoleão Viola.

The doctors say that this lack of dialogue is worrying, but they view the situation with a certain naturalness, given that the strike in December last year took the same course.

"The government's attempts have always been to try to minimize the strike's impact. Those of us who live in hospitals know very well how much each of us is missed and what the impact has been on our patients", he said.

The doctors say they are at least guaranteeing the minimum services. Speaking this Monday on the Radio Mozambique's Letters on the TableThe Minister of Health, Armindo Tiago, explained that the guarantee of minimum services by the strikers is a constitutional obligation and not optional.