This Monday in Maputo, the Mozambican Medical Association (AMM) denounced intimidation by public officials following the announced strike.

"Unfortunately we've seen various attempts at intimidation by public officials, service directors, hospital directors and provincial directors. These are situations that unfortunately keep happening. We have been denouncing these issues in due course," said doctor Napoleão Viola, quoted in the Portuguese-language "Voz da América" portal.

In the opinion of the class, this stems from the failure of talks with the government to review their inclusion in the Single Wage Scale (TSU).

In October, the doctors announced a partial nationwide stoppage of their activities for 21 days, until they received a satisfactory response to their concerns. The strike was scheduled to begin on November 7, but was postponed until Monday, December 5.

The Minister of Health, Armindo Tiago, yesterday assured the normal functioning of health units throughout the country, despite the "considerable" absences of some doctors, according to Rádio Moçambique.

Confirming the start of the strike, the President of the AMM Board of Directors, Milton Tatia, said that the class "regrets the situation" and claimed that the class "is not in a psychological state to continue providing the services and care" that Mozambicans deserve.

Some health units in Mozambique are already without medical staff and certain surgical and other non-emergency appointments scheduled for December 5 have been canceled.

The doctors guarantee care for all cases requiring urgent intervention. For the time being, some care is being provided by foreign doctors [Cubans] and nurses.

"Outpatient appointments are at a standstill. The doctors who are on strike won't be doing the appointments that have been scheduled. However, there is some activity that remains here, and we have some foreign doctors who continue to work. For the appointments that aren't being made, the [Cuban] doctors are doing a kind of triage. Patients who appear to be well leave their telephone numbers and those who appear to be serious are referred to the emergency room," said Andrea Neves, a doctor at the José Macamo General Hospital.