The Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association (ZHDA) have accused Health and Child Care Minister, Dr David Parirenyatwa of showing disinterest in the doctors’ strike saying his lack of urgency in addressing their problems has paralyzed the health delivery system.
In statement released today, ZHDA blamed the failure to address the doctors’ issues on the minister stating that he has shown disinterest in the strike due to his lack of urgency rectify the problems.
“The Health Services Board and the Minister of Health, Dr Parirenyatwa have not been forthcoming to resolve the issues raised by the ZHDA members to date, instead they have engaged in deliberate misinformation of the public using state media and resorted to a failed strategy of issuing legally void threats to the striking doctors,
“This in our view is sign of failure and must be immediately followed by resignation of the entire Health Services Board (HSB) and the Minister of Health. We note with concern the closure of almost all central hospitals, children’s units, provincial hospitals and cessation of emergency life-saving procedures throughout the country,
“We place this failure directly on the heels of Dr Parirenyatwa and the Health Services Board who have shown disinterest and lack of urgency in resolving the demands of the striking doctors,” noted ZHDA.
The association cleared the air on rumours circulating that the doctors’ may have suspended the strike stating that only the association can call off the strike after consultation and agreement.
“The ZHDA leadership only is mandated to call off the doctors’ strike after consultation and agreement with its members, any pronunciations by the HSB, Health Minister or other affiliate health associations are of no effect to the striking doctors,
“Any other strikes by other associations such as nurses or paramedics are not in any way linked to the doctor’s demands and no blanket negotiations or conflation of the separate demands will be entertained, any manoeuvres to the contrary or insinuations by other health associations will not be tolerated,
“The ZHDA is calling all the doctors we had instructed to remain at their stations to cover for medical emergencies, this implies that from today (day 14) of the strike all consultants, registrars, district medical officers and general medical officers are formally joining the strike,
“We will only return to work when all issues raised by the ZHDA have been fully resolved,” added ZHDA.
Doctors went on strike on March 1 after the government seemingly ignored a 21-day ultimatum to address a number of their demands.
