Maputo — The Mozambican Medical Association (AMM) has decided to extend the current strike by doctors for a further 21 days, on the grounds that "irregularities' persist regarding the new unified wage table (TSU) for the public administration.

"The medical profession unanimously decided to extend the strike for another 21 days, that is, the strike will continue until August 21," said AMM chairperson Milton Tatia, on Friday, in Maputo, after a meeting of the association.

The third phase of the doctors' strike began on July 10. The current strike was always intended to last for 21 days, but the AMM had warned that it could be extended if no agreement was reached with the government.

"If the government, through the Ministry of Health, wants to act in good faith, it should provide evidence, and send the association a document explaining the payments so that we can also calm our colleagues," Tatia suggested. He was referring not only to payments under the TSU, but also to overtime payments, which the AMM says are long overdue.

According to Tatia, The Ministry's human resources and accounting sectors also have no information on how payments are made.

"The Government is already paying the overtime arrears, but there is a lack of transparency in the process. Some professionals continue to face cuts in their wages, and their inclusion in the new wages table, continues to be made without taking into account length of service ", he added.

The Ministry of Health, in a statement made public on Friday, said it had delivered a letter to AMM headquarters in which it claimed to have solved the problems of reduction and non-payment of wages.

"The payment of overtime arrears, for the period up to 2020, is the last claim still to be resolved this month. It has been 73% met, with 5,022 health professionals being paid out of a total of 7,862", reads the document, in which the Government reaffirmed its openness to dialogue with the health workers.