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Paidamoyo Chipunza Senior Health Reporter
The 2016 graduates from the University of Zimbabwe Medical School should sign the proposed junior medical resident doctors’ contracts to start housemanship in Government institutions, Health and Child Care Secretary Dr Gerald Gwinji has said.
In an interview with The Herald yesterday on the stalemate between the junior doctors and their employer — the Health Services Board, Dr Gwinji dismissed rumours that Government shelved the contracts, insisting that its position on the contracts still stands.
“The contract still stands. It is a standard practice that every employee has and must be followed,” said Dr Gwinji.
He dismissed allegations that the contract was meant to silence the junior doctors who have been vocal through the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors’ Association, demanding better conditions of service, saying the contracts were meant to engage them.
He said although the junior doctors argued that the contract infringed on their right to strike and join a labour body in accordance with the national Constitution, that provision of the Constitution should be read together with another provision in the same Constitution which prohibits industrial action by people who provide essential services such as doctors.
“So the contract is not stifling anyone or infringing on anyone’s right. The board came up with a framework of their (junior doctors) engagement which then translated to a contract,” said Dr Gwinji.
Asked about provision of service delivery in public health institutions following the doctors’ reluctance to sign the contracts, Dr Gwinji said service provision continues as usual and all departments were operational.
He dismissed reports that Harare and Mpilo central hospitals were only attending to emergencies saying no one had a right to close an institution.
Dr Gwinji said heads of departments can only cite their challenges to their superiors, who will then look into a lasting solution.
The 2016 medical class had about 90 doctors, a majority of whom refused to sign the proposed contracts arguing that it infringed on their labour rights.
The doctors were supposed to start housemanship on March 1, but up to now they have not yet started work — a development that forced HSB to revise the contracts again, but a majority of the doctors still felt that their concerns were not addressed.
In separate interviews, some of the doctors vowed not to sign the contracts until it is clear on their fate beyond the two years of housemanship.
“We have given up on some of the issues we wanted addressed such as the right to strike and the right to be part of a labour union because we realised, that is the sole reason why they have introduced the contracts.
“But one sticking area that still needs to be addressed is the issue of continuity after completing our housemanship for two years.
“What is our fate because the contract is for two years?” said one of the junior doctors who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Online Reporter