Health Workers Finally End Strike in Mali

Health workers in Mali have finally put an end to their month-long strike, after reportedly reaching an agreement with the Mali government concerning pay raises for doctors, nurses and other health workers.

The strike was first initiated by two health unions in the country more than a month ago. The unions were demanding pay raises for hospital staff and more jobs for contract workers.

However, as of Monday, the strike has been abandoned, with a senior spokesperson for one of the union’s confirming that they are satisfied with what the government had offered them.

“The demand for strike action is lifted because we are satisfied,” said senior official, Yossouf Maiga.

Maiga added that, of the nine ‘official’ demands that the union’s have made, the government has agreed to eight of them.

In a similar statement, the Mali government has confirmed that they have reached an agreement with the two health unions.

Abdel Karim Konate, Minister of Commerce and government spokesperson, said that an ‘agreement was reached [sic]’ and that the strike is officially over.

This was the longest health strike in Mali’s history and severely affected health services in the country.

Hospitals were left virtually deserted and patients had to go to great lengths to receive any type of medical care. Most hospitals in the country only relied on a small group of emergency health practitioners.

People who could not afford private health care were left in dire straits and some had to turn to traditional healers for medical help.