Health workers threaten to down tools, give two-day ultimatum to authorities
.....lament over poor working conditions, demand upward review of allowances and salaries as cost of living skyrockets
Harare: HEALTH workers in Zimbabwe, through their Health Apex Council, have threatened to go on a devastating strike from February 29 to March 2 over a coterie of grievances affecting the sector.
The council wrote to the Health Service Commission calling for action.
In a letter dared February 26 and authored by the Health Apex council team leader one J Sibanda, the council highlights a number of grievances.
The letter partly reads:
“The above subject refers that: the health workers as an essential service are incapacitated by the volatile economic environment which is characterized by the loss of value of the ZWL, price disparities and distortions, hyperinflation. The health apex panel has on numerous occasions wrote to the employer highlighting the plight of health workers. Sadly, to this day nothing has materialized.
“Health workers are severely affected.”
The key grievances noted includes non- engagement of health workers on remuneration and conditions of service, exclusion of health workers on the April 2023 cost of living adjustment., non review of health sector specific allowances and non avalability of health equipment rendering them incapacitated to carry out their duties at standard best practisce.
They also lamented over poor transport and housing allowance which is paltry USD 10 at the prevailing interbank market.
The health workers also gave a two day ultimatum from the date the letter was delivered.
The collective job action is above board and is inline with terms of section 16(2)(b) and (c) of the Health Services Act.
Analysts said the strike will further paralyse the health delivery system which is already in comatose.
“This industrial action will potentially have serious repercussions for the populace as the country is already reeling from the effects of the Cholera outbreak,” said a South Africa based health expert.
Pic Cred:People’s dispatch
In 2019, doctors went on a month long strike that was only called off after First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa’s intervention.
