Zimbabwe Medical Association (ZIMA) today held a solemn ceremony in honor of Zimbabwean doctors who succumbed to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The doctors also unveiled a photo collage of their departed colleagues.
Addressing the ceremony, Dr Enock Maida said even after losing their brothers and sisters, they would not lose hope.
“We won’t lose hope but continue to give our best. Most of them were breadwinners so we will continue to reach out to their loved ones,” said Dr Maida.
Meanwhile, President Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday paid tribute to the country’s front line workers who lost their lives to the pandemic.
In his remarks, Mnangagwa said the health-workers showed perseverance, resilience and commitment since the first wave of Covid-19.
“To date, Zimbabwe has recorded a total of Five Thousand Three Hundred and Sixty-Six (5 366) deaths. of these, Twenty-Four (24) are from our health care workers. Allow me to acknowledge and appreciate the relentless fight put forward by our health care workers against this pandemic,” he said.
President Mnangagwa also said various strategies have been implemented to motivate and retain health care workers among them prioritizing vaccination of all health care workers, allowances specific to the Health Sector, Covid-19 allowances, duty-free vehicle importation scheme, civil service vehicle loan scheme, a housing revolving fund through the Ministry of National Housing and Social Amenities, institutional accommodation and Covid-19 employers’ liability insurance cover for health care workers in case of deaths and illness.
“Government has been making all efforts to improve the conditions of service for the health care workers in order to retain staff and to stabilise the sector. Our thrust, has been to ensure that health care workers are competitively remunerated; have adequate tools of trade; have decent accommodation and, are provided reliable transport,” he added.
