The
Medical Faculty of Maputo’s Eduardo Mondlane University (UEM) has told those
medical students who joined the nine day doctors’ strike, organised by the
Mozambican Medical Association (AMM) in January, that they have failed part of
their course and will have to take it again.According to a report in Friday’s
issue of the independent newsheet “Mediafax”, the faculty took the decision on
Tuesday, and it was communicated to the students in question as from Wednesday.The
decision concerns those sixth year medical students who work as apprentices at
Maputo Central Hospital, during the practical part of their course. All those who failed to show up during the
strike are now deemed to have failed that part of the course, and must repeat
it. It is not clear
how many students this affects.The faculty also praises those students who did
not join the strike, and says it will issue them with certificates in
recognition of their “selflessness” and “sacrifice”.The faculty’s move to
punish the strikers seems to be a flagrant violation of the agreement between
the AMM and the government, signed on 15 January, which ended the strike. Part
of this deal was that the Ministry would send a circular to all public sector
health units giving instructions that no administrative measures were to be
taken against those doctors and student doctors who did not present themselves
for work during the strike. The Medical Faculty, however, might argue that
it is not covered by the agreement, since it is not subordinate to the Health
Ministry, but to the University.The disciplinary measure is an embarrassment to
Health Minister Alexandre Manguele who had pledged that the strikers would face
no reprisals.
There has, as yet, been no response from the AMM.
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