Health workers have announced a new strike in the sector for March 31 if the government does not meet their demands by March 30.

The president of the Association of Health and Solidarity Professionals of Mozambique (APSUM) said that the decision was due to the fact that health professionals felt ignored in the program for the first 100 days of government.

"If the next salary for March 2025 comes without the agreements being reached and without clarity on the payment of overtime, shifts, exclusivity, the definitive framework and compliance with our charter of demands, we will strike," said Anselmo Muchave, president of APSUM.

Muchave was speaking at a press conference in Maputo today.

APSUSM and the government had previously reached an agreement to resolve the demands made by the association two years ago, but in the meantime, he said, they have not materialized: "There has been no intention to improve the infrastructure of the operating theatres, much less the provision of medical equipment."

Health professionals also complain about the lack of conditions for treating patients as a serious problem.

"Patients continue to sacrifice their valuables by turning to pharmacies. Laboratories have no reagents, X-rays have no printing plates and food is a disgrace. 99% continue to buy their meals, and it's worse for the health workers who spend 24 hours in the health units without any food and without their overtime pay."

In May last year, the association announced that in the first two days of the strike, around a thousand patients died due to lack of healthcare.

The APSUSM president pointed out that overtime payments, also announced this year by the executive, have still not been made.