Health workers inclusive of medical doctors, therapists and nurses have announced that they are sticking to the 14 day ultimatum to go on strike following unsuccessful negotiations with their employer over deteriorating working conditions.
In separate statements issued over the weekend, the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association(ZHDA), Zimbabwe Nurses Association (ZNA), Zimbabwe Environmental Health Practitioners Association (ZEHPA) and the Government Therapists Association (GTA) all affirmed their positions regarding the Health Service Bipartite Negotiations which failed to deal with their grievances.
In an interview with the ZHDA spokesperson, Dr Mthabisi Bhebhe, he their members and alumni stand in solidarity with the Health Apex position of issuing a 14 day ultimatum to the government.
“Should the government fail to act positively to our plight, we risk the disruption of industrial harmony,” said Dr Bhebhe.
Health worker salaries have lost their purchasing power since the beginning the return of hyper inflation in the country that has seen basic commodities multiplying prices while the local RTGS dollar continue to lose value.
“Health workers have had enough of Austerity and cannot take anymore doses” added Dr Bhebhe.
He added that most of the things that have crippled Zimbabwe to its knees could be internally addressed without doctors coming out to demonstrate.
Should the health professionals embark on the planned industrial action, it could for the second time this year, cripple the health delivery system which is already battling against inadequate staff and resources.
