Senior Doctors, Nurses Give Notice Of Incapacitation And Withdrawal Of Service

Senior doctors, nurses and radiographers have given notice that they will go on strike from Monday, June 20, to demand improved salaries. In a notice of incapacitation and withdrawal of service seen by Pindula News, the workers who are currently paid in the local currency have repeated their call to be paid in United States Dollars (USD). The Zimbabwe dollar has been losing value since its reintroduction in 2019. Reads the letter addressed to the chairperson of the Health Services Board Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, Dr Sikhosana:

NOTICE OF INCAPACITATION AND WITHDRAWAL OF SERVICE

Following our meeting on the 17th of June 2022 at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, attended by the health worker association representatives, it was unanimously agreed that as the government health workers, represented by the Health worker Associations leaders, here undersigned, after having made numerous attempts to engage the employer with no success, do hereby notify your office of our state of incapacitation and the subsequent withdrawal of service the government health workers effective Monday 20 June 2022. Zimbabwe Health APEX council. The decision to withdraw our service is not taken lightly, but the workers are without means to execute their mandate. We restate the major grievances below.

1. Closure of negotiation space. It is important that we remind you, that we have not had a bipartite meeting since April 2021. This is despite our repeated efforts to engage the board. We have written to you more than 5 times to you requesting a meeting to no avail.

2. Failure to provide a meaning) o living adjustment. It is common knowledge that the economic conditions have deteriorated significantly in the last 6 months. This is clearly indicated by the rapid and precipitous fall in the interbank rate and the steep increase in inflation, now well over 130%. The loss of value of the local currency is apparent and evidenced by the government’s decision to pay farmers in USD. We, therefore, repeat our call for salaries USD.

3. Failure to review non-claimable health sector-specific allowances-As agreed in the CBA 2 of 2018 ( i.e. on-call, call out/standby, night duty, nurse managers’ and special health allowances) the last review did not adequately address the issues raised given that these allowances are based on work done during odd hours with tale compensation being offered by the employer.

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4. Failure to review the Regrading System. The failure of the board to regrade health workers as previously agreed. The last review of grades was done in 2012. Zimbabwe Health APEX- council.

5. Donor-funded nostro retention allowances. The board’s failure to facilitate the timeous disbursement of the donor retention allowances. The board has previously communicated that this was at an advanced stage, however, no meaningful progress has been made towards disbursement. The allowances ceased in 2020. There is little incentive to continue going for work in the health sector.

6. Failure to meaningfully and timeously Review COVID-19 risk allowances-. These were last reviewed in 2022 currently they are at ZWL3 000, ZWL 4 500 and ZWL7 500, as such, are now very negligible considering the exposure of the health workers during this pandemic. Health workers never stopped reporting for duty even when most public servants were at home.

It is our prayer that immediate and meaningful steps are taken by the board to address the matters raised to avoid inconveniencing the public who rely on our services.

The Health worker Association Representatives See the attached list of associations and their representatives.

Cc:

The Honorable Vice President and Minister of Health and Child Care Rtd General Dr C.G.D.N Chiwenga

The Honorable Deputy Minister, Ministry of Health and Child Care Dr J.0 Mangwiro(MP)

Secretary for Health and Child Care, Air Commodore Dr J. Chimedza

Signed:

Dr T Kusotera (SHDA),I Sibanda (ZIGRA) T Musoro (GTA) P Chivese (ZIPTA) L Sarai (ZIHWU) E Dongo (ZINA)

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