Junior doctors who recently ended their four months industrial action have expressed concern over little to no progress in terms of re-equipping hospitals rendering their presence worthless.
In a press statement, the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association (ZHDA) said though doctors returned to work, they are not being helpful as they have to make do without any equipment.
During negotiations with striking junior doctors, government promised to re-equip hospitals and recently received what they termed the first batch from United Arab Emirates.
ZHDA said equipment at most public hospitals is obsolete worsening their already precarious situation at work.
“The Ministry of Health and Child Care has done nothing to alleviate the situation. The doctors remuneration remains paltry and the hospitals remain severely incapacitation,” reads the statement.
The doctors said that the failure by the ministry to address the genuine concerns by doctors has hastened the already ongoing brain drain in our country.
“As ZHDA, we strongly advocate for the betterment of the patients and health delivery system.
The current situation, has forced the junior who are in their two year internship period to lose heart and now consider leaving Zimbabwe,” further noted ZHDA.
When 263Chat visited Harare Hospital yesterday, one of the patients First Chisora who has been admitted since July last year said the situation in hospitals was delicate.
Chisora was stabbed by a knife whilst coming back from selling tobacco at Auction floors.
“The doctors said there is not much they can do as long as I’m this condition. When the Doctors come they just ask if i have the Total Parental Nutrition (TPN) because the hospitals cannot provide that hence l have to buy myself,” said Chisora.
Chisora also said doctors have not been coming to the wards hence delaying recovery if any.
The Public Relations Officer for Harare Central Hospital, Juliet Chikurune confirmed that doctors have been reporting for work.
However she could not comment on how much progress has been made so far to get the health delivery system back on track.
