Zimbabwe’s troubled health sector is headed for paralysis after doctors, radiographers, nurses and other specialists have boycotted on-call and night duties, citing incapacitation., reports Newsday.
This came as government struggles to end the teachers’ class boycott, which started when schools opened for the first term on 7 February. Workers in the public and private sectors are demanding foreign currency-denominated salaries, arguing that their Zim-dollar earnings were being eroded by inflation.
In a letter dated 18 February, addressed to the Health Services Board (HSB)’s acting executive director Anglebert Mbengwa, the Zimbabwe Government Radiographers Association, the Zimbabwe Public Health Association, Zimbabwe Health Workers Union and the Zimbabwe Nurses Association declared incapacitation.
Civil servants have rejected government’s recent salary offer of a 20% increase, US$100 and other non-monetary benefits. They are demanding a pre-October 2018 salary of US$540 or its equivalent in local currency.
The latest strike action came at a time when the sector had been hit by a mass exodus of health professionals to countries like the United Kingdom, South Africa, Botswana and Australia.
Newsday article – Health workers down tools (Open access)
See more from MedicalBrief archives:
COVID-19 exposes Zimbabwe's heart-rending health crisis
Zimbabwe Health Bill amendment will limit doctors’ and nurses’ pay strikes
Zimbabwe wants compensation for brain drain of nurses and doctors
Zimbabwean doctor: Situation is more dire than you can imagine
Desperate Zimbabweans go to Zambia for medical care