The Association of United and Solidarity Health Professionals of Mozambique (APSUSM) announced today that the strike will not be resumed for another 15 days, in order to continue the negotiation process.

"There is no resumption [of the strike] for another 15 days, to give the government space to deal with the political tension, so that we don't get confused. Because the political tension that started on October 11 ended up interrupting what was a dialog between APSUSM and the government," said the association's president, Anselmo Muchave, at a press conference.

On August 27, APSUSM announced the suspension, until November 5, of the strike that had begun a week earlier, in order to make room for negotiations with the government.

"Because the health professionals are not yet satisfied with the points presented at the dialogue table, and also in order not to mix their demands with the results of the elections, the health professionals will wait peacefully at their workplaces until the situation normalizes, for another 15 days, until November 18, 2023," said the president of APSUSM, quoted by Lusa.

Anselmo Muchave guaranteed that in the next 15 days there will be no "resumption" of demonstrations by these professionals, acknowledging that 45% of the demands have been met: "We hope that all the quick points to resolve have already been achieved. Some are already well underway".

The National Health System has been facing a series of crises caused by staff strikes, first called by the Medical Association of Mozambique (AMM), and the Association of United and Solidarity Health Professionals of Mozambique (APSUSM), who are demanding better working conditions for other health professionals as well.

According to the president of APSUSM, the August 27 decision was the result of an appeal made by the Mozambican head of state, Filipe Nyusi, to make room for talks with the new government team trying to halt the collapse of the national health system.

Among other things, APSUSM, which covers around 65,000 technicians, servants and nurses, is demanding that the government provide hospitals with medicines, which in some cases have to be bought by patients, purchase hospital beds, solve the problem of the "lack of food" in health units, as well as equip ambulances with emergency materials for rapid life support or non-disposable personal protective equipment.