Human rights groups have slammed government’s lack of urgency in addressing grievances of striking doctors saying this has worsened the situation at the country’s public health institutions.
In a statement released yesterday, Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR) expressed concern over the lack of urgency by the government to resolve the impasse that has gone for almost a month now.
“The Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR) is deeply saddened by the lack of urgency on the part of the government in resolving the striking doctors’ concerns and demands regarding their well-being and the health of their patients.
“ZADHR wishes to reiterate that the primary responsibility in achieving the right to health lies with the government.
“We also note the lukewarm response as people are losing lives, emergency departments are shutting down, and the children and maternity units closed in major hospitals leaving the indigent further exposed,” noted ZADHR.
They further noted that the response by the government through the Health Services Board (HSB) was inadequate and insensitive to the implications of the strike on the right to healthcare.
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) also expressed concern by government failure to speedily resolve the ongoing strike by doctors and some nurses at public hospitals.
The human rights lawyers group said government’s reluctance and failure to resolve the impasse has compounded problems for stranded patients at the country’s public-run hospitals while violating citizens’ constitutionally guaranteed fundamental right to health care enshrined in section 76 of the Constitution and the right to life provided in section 48 of the Constitution.
“The government has been slow in responding to the legitimate concerns raised by doctors and nurses. It is worrying that for several years, the government has not fully addressed the serious consequences brought about by the unprecedented exodus of health professionals in search of greener pastures due to the same concerns which are being raised by nurses and doctors now,” noted ZLHR.
The human rights lawyers body said the state has a responsibility to ensure that citizens’ rights to health care are not compromised, calling on the state to take urgent action to resolve the dire situation at the country’s public hospitals.
ZLHR further called on the government to increase funding allocation to the health sector and strive to allocate 15% to health as stipulated in the Abuja Declaration in order to enhance the quality of life of citizens.
Medical doctors working at state-run hospitals have been on strike in recent weeks and have now been joined by nurses at some health institutions who are protesting against poor salaries and unfavorable working conditions.
