After chronicling the negotiation process that preceded the strike, Minsa accuses the president of Sinmea, pediatrician Adriano Manuel, of "systematically" avoiding being present "in the scheduled meetings, without a plausible justification, thus making the continuation of negotiations unfeasible".
"Incomprehensibly, the same National Union of Doctors continues the strike and other actions, allegedly due to the lack of availability of Minsa for dialogue, which does not correspond to reality, leaving doubts as to whether the strike strictly pursues the labor objectives contained in the list of claims, or others unconfessed", reads the note released in Luanda.
Given the continuation of the strike and the alleged obstruction of negotiations, Minsa "expresses its deep concern for this attitude" in the face of a strike that "seriously damages the health (...) of the populations, in this context of public calamity in which the country and the world" are struggling "with the covid-19 pandemic and, in the case of Angola, other endemic pathologies".
"MINSA, within the framework of its responsibilities, reiterates its commitment to taking all the necessary measures to safeguard the populations", the statement added.
Finally, Minsa appeals to the striking doctors to "continue faithful to the Hippocratic oath to which they are obliged to provide medical assistance to safeguard the health and life of human beings, and continue to carry out their noble function with humanism, dedication and putting their knowledge, while the negotiations are underway".
Speaking to Lusa, Miguel Sebastião, Sinmea's provincial secretary, said that the vigil at national level, called for this Wednesday and promoted by the union, took place as planned in almost all provinces.
"Unfortunately in Luanda, the vigil called in front of the Josina Machel Hospital, was dispersed by the police after 8 pm", said Miguel Sebastião.
The vigil began at 6 pm local time and, as a result of a police decision, ended two hours later, without violence by law enforcement officials, added the union leader.
"We left in an orderly manner", he stressed.
Miguel Sebastião said that he has information that the vigil took place without incident in the places previously chosen by the doctors in the provinces of Benguela, Cuando Cubando, Moxico, Lundas Norte and Sul, Zaire and Uíge.
"In Cabinda there was the same problem as in Luanda and in Caxito, in Bengo province, the vigil was not authorized," he said.
Next Saturday, Sinmea intends to carry out a demonstration/march in Luanda, with a concentration in the Mutamba square, and ending in front of the David Bernardino Hospital.
"We informed the authorities that we are going to hold the demonstration. Angolan law expressly says that the demonstrations do not require authorization, only prior information. That must be done 48 to 72 hours beforehand. We comply with the law. So, we will go there. be [largo da Mutamba] from 12 pm onwards", guaranteed Sebastião.
The list of claims, submitted by Sinmea to the Ministry in September, presents as its first point the immediate replacement of Adriano Manuel, compensation for the damage caused by his transfer to the Ministry of Health's human resources and the nullity of the disciplinary process against him.
At issue is a disciplinary proceeding brought against Adriano Manuel for reporting to the press the death of 19 children, out of 24, in the emergency room of the Pediatric Hospital David Bernardino, having as a consequence been transferred to the Human Resources department of Minsa, justified by the need for staff mobility.
