HARARE – The Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR) has said a strike by doctors across the country is threatening the recovery of the health delivery system at a time when the sector is struggling to recover from last year's crisis.
Doctors at public hospitals went on strike last week to press for more pay. The industrial action has brought back memories of last year when striking doctors and nurses deserted hospitals as a cholera epidemic ravaged Zimbabwe, killing more than 4 000 people before it was brought under control with help from international relief agencies.
"The health delivery system is still struggling to emerge from a crisis that left the country's major referral hospitals unable to deliver services at the end of 2008," ZADHR said in a statement.
"Health professionals are entitled to adequate remuneration and acceptable working conditions. However, this must be balanced against the well being of patients. Unavailability of health services ultimately results in increased morbidity and preventable deaths."
The Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association that represents all state doctors is pushing for a salary of US$1 000 per month plus $500 allowance.
The association has promised to extend the job boycott to all state hospitals across the country that are the source of health service for more than 90 percent of Zimbabweans.
The government's Health Services Board (HSB) is negotiating with the doctors but says funds provided by international donors for doctors’ allowances and other perks have run out. More funds can only be available for disbursement to doctors in about two works, according to the board.
Most of Zimbabwe’s public hospitals that had virtually become dysfunctional began operating only six months ago after formation of a coalition government by President Robert Mugabe, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and Deputy Premier Arthur Mutambara.
The power-sharing government has promised to rebuild Zimbabwe’s economy and top restore basic services such as health and education that had virtually collapsed after years of recession.
But the administration, which says it needs US$10 billion to revive the economy, could fail to deliver on its promise unless it is able to unlock financial support from Western governments that have remained reluctant to provide aid until they see evidence that Mugabe is committed to genuinely share power with Tsvangirai.
– ZimOnline
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