The Health Apex Council which represents 21 associations of health professionals has threatened a job action over unresolved grievances relating to their working conditions.
In a letter addressed to the Health Services Commission, Dr. James Sibanda, leader of the Health Apex panel, expressed grave concerns over the dire situation faced by health workers highlighting the “volatile economic environment
“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 by the following reasons as already raised in the position paper: 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, very low basic salary, housing and transport allowances which are now less than USD 10 combined at the prevailing interbank market and poor grading among health workers.
“Non benefiting from non-monetary incentives, no vehicle loan, review downwards of the vehicle rebate amounts, non-benefiting from PSMAS as a medical aid, non-availability of tools of trade i.e. equipment, medicines, and surgical supplies and exclusion of other health workers(non-medical) from health sector specific allowances,” wrote Dr. Sibanda
The workers have given the Commission a two-day ultimatum and that the job action will begin on Thursday.
“The health workers are formally giving a 48-hour written notice (from Monday the 26th of February 2024 to the Wednesday the 28th of February 2024) for a collective job action in terms of section 16(2)(b) and (c) of the Health Services Act. The collective job action will commence on Thursday the 29th of February 2024 and end on Saturday the 2nd of March 2024 if the grievances have not been addressed,” read Sibanda’s letter.
