What You Need to Know
Medical interns from UniZambeze University in Beira are on strike, demanding payment of allowances owed for 10 months. They claim the government has not fulfilled its promise of payments, despite recent announcements. The interns are determined to continue their protest until they receive confirmation of the funds in their accounts, highlighting ongoing issues with medical supplies and support for
Africa-Press – Mozambique. The medical interns from UniZambeze University, in the central city of Beira, who have been demonstrating in front of the Health Ministry building, in Maputo, have promised to stop their strike only if the government pays their allowances, which have not been paid for the past 10 months.
The students’ position is in response to the government’s announcement claiming it has already begun paying the overdue allowances after a meeting held on Thursday with the students themselves.
The medical interns claim that they have not received yet a single penny from public funds, despite the promise made by the Health Ministry. “We were informed that the payments have already started, but none of us have yet been able to confirm the deposit of funds into our accounts”, the medical interns said.
In a letter, cited by the independent newsheet “Carta de Moçambique”, the interns claim that, during the meeting with the Health Ministry, they were confronted with an alleged proof of payment made to one of them. “The document serves only as an example, but does not constitute proof that the funds have actually been made available to everyone”, reads the letter.
Explanations from the Health Ministry, the document says, point out that “the payments are being processed in phases, with each receipt corresponding to one month of subsidy. However, there are still uncertainties regarding the total number of months that will be paid in this phase.”
Therefore, the health professionals said, without confirmation that the payment has actually been made, “we will remain in front of the Health Ministry building until the funds are reflected in our bank accounts.”
According to the group, assigned to Beira Central Hospital, all formal channels of dialogue have been exhausted, but there are no visible results and “this means that we will go on strike for an indefinite period.”
The interns also denounced the lack of surgical and medical supplies and so decided to travel to Maputo to demand improved conditions.
Last July, the National Union of Students (UNE) expressed dissatisfaction at a government decree aimed at cutting allowances to medical students, arguing that this measure “puts national public health at risk, because the allowances, which have been in force for more than 20 years, made it possible to minimize the financial burden on students during their internship, particularly in terms of food, transport and the purchase of personal protective equipment, at a time when many hospitals are facing a shortage of basic resources.”
The issue of medical interns’ allowances in Mozambique has been a contentious topic, particularly as the country grapples with healthcare challenges. The National Union of Students has previously criticized government measures that threaten financial support for medical students, emphasizing the importance of these allowances for their training and the overall public health system. The ongoing strike reflects broader concerns about resource allocation in the healthcare sector and the need for sustainable solutions to support medical professionals during their internships.
