Nurses suspend month-long strike

Nurses in Burundi's public hospitals resumed work on Friday after a month-long strike, following the signing of an agreement between their trades union and the government. The nurses' strike had paralysed health services in the hospitals. The leaders of the two nurses' unions, the Syndicat des Travailleurs de la Sante (SNTS) and the Syndicat du Personnel Paramedical et Aide Soignant (SYNAPA), said on Thursday that they had signed the agreement with a delegation from the vice-president's office detailing a schedule for the implementation of an accord signed on 10 December 2004. The leaders, Melance Hakizimana of the SNTS and Marie Bukuru of SYNAPA, said the chairman of the National Council of Elders mediated the negotiations on Thursday. Hakizimana told IRIN on Friday that the nurses resumed work because the government had changed its position regarding their claims and had agreed to implement the December accord. "When we started the strike the government said there was no accord at all; instead of implementing it," he said. The accord provides for the depositing of 100 million Burundi francs (US $96,348) in Burundi's central bank to constitute an initial fund for the nurses' medical expenses. However, other grievances the nurses had raised will have to wait, according to the accord. These include overtime payments and consideration of professional risks, which would be incorporated into the government's revised budget for 2005 in June. Other bonuses would also be integrated in the 2006 budget. The nurses began an indefinite strike on 7 March to demand the implementation of the December accord. This strike followed a series of other walkouts in October to demand better pay and working conditions, overtime payments, as well as access to medical care. The strike brought health services to a standstill, with only emergency services being provided in most of the health institutions. Outpatients were hardest hit, as they could not access health care. The strike also affected vaccination services. Human rights activists, representatives of the civil society, as well as patients, had demanded that the government and trades union resume negotiations, and reach an accord to stop violating patients' rights to medical care.