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Thandeka Moyo, Health Reporter
The Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors’ Association has applauded President Mnangagwa for agreeing to intervene and sort out their issues as the national strike spills into day 26 today.
The doctors have said they are ready to return to work as soon as promises made to them by the Ministry of Health and Child Care are put in writing.
In a statement yesterday ZHDA spokesperson, Dr Mxolisi Ngwenya, said they were hopeful President Mnangagwa’s intervention would yield positive results soon.
Doctors downed tools on March 1 after petitioning the Government to address issues which include locum allowances, availability of medicine and equipment at public health institutions. “Members would like to thank His Excellency, the President for his intervention. He is a man of his word and we believe that he will act with the urgency he has always shown,” said Dr Ngwenya.
“The reason why we have reached this critical point is that we accepted promises before from the same minister and Ministry, since 2014, and these continue to be broken.”
He said despite calls by Government for doctors to return to work, there were some outstanding issues that had to be addressed before the strike is called off.
“Members have therefore resolved to remain on strike until they get commitment in writing through the proper legal channels. We believe a commitment on paper should not take long and we also await action in providing the materials to use in our hospitals,” he said.
According to ZHDA, negotiations are being done in bad faith, with gross misrepresentation of facts by the Ministry.
The Ministry of Health and Child Care said in a statement recently that it had addressed some of the doctors’ grievances.
“On-call allowances have been reviewed upwards by 50 percent and locum payment of all outstanding locum claims commenced in February 2018.”
“A vehicle loan scheme for all health workers has been established and furthermore, Government in December 2017 disbursed $22 million from the Health Levy Fund to support the procurement of medicines, hospital sundries and equipment. Government continues to accord the health sector priority status in foreign currency allocations for the procurement of medicines, medical sundries and equipment,” said the ministry.
Online Reporter