The Mozambican Medical Association (AMM) took to the streets of the capital Maputo today to demand better working conditions, which have been discussed with the Executive since the end of last year.

Today's strike follows the extension for a further 21 days of the announced 21-day strike, the first phase of which began on July 10 and ended on July 31.

In the midst of songs and ditties, the more than 200 doctors protesting in Maputo demanded the resignation of the current Minister of Health, Armindo Tiago, and diagnosed illness in the National Health Service.

"Tiago, out!" the doctors shouted repeatedly as they slowly made their way along Eduardo Mondlane Avenue in central Maputo, right in front of the Ministry of Health. And it read: "Enough! Tiago out!", "Our problem is the Minister".

"We think that the only person who can solve our problems and stop this situation is His Excellency the President of the Republic. What is being resolved by the government are five points that refer to problems that have been created in recent months. Therefore, our list of demands, as it stood, has not been resolved," said the President of AMM, Milton Tatia.

"Enough! The National Health Service needs resuscitation, we need to rescue the quality of the medical act," read one of the slogans.

In song, the group also criticized the government's latest decision to hire 60 doctors to fill the current shortage of these professionals in the country's health facilities. And the doctors repeated: "We're not just 60, we're not 60!".

"We regret the fact that since we started the strike we haven't had another round of negotiations, as well as the fact that they've been constantly changing negotiating teams since the beginning of this process in October last year. We are providing the minimum services. Just yesterday we had a meeting with the specialist doctors, the older ones, and they guaranteed that they are there providing the minimum services," he said, asking the government to indicate the health units where the medical profession has declined to provide the minimum services.

Nevertheless, in an atmosphere of peaceful marching, without the usual interruptive and repressive intervention of the Police of the Republic of Mozambique, the doctors said: "those who care need to be cared for", so it was not "a favor, but an obligation to value".