DESPITE the fact that Harare City Council was ordered by Justice Edith Mushore of the High Court of Zimbabwe on October 7, 2020 to open all its 42 council polyclinics within seven days, it has not yet complied.

CHRA

In response to the order, acting Health director Dr Kudzai Masunda had this to say: “As council, we still have only eight clinics which are operational and we are being affected by the industrial action by council nurses and some of them are resigning.”

A snap survey done by the Combined Harare Residents’ Association (CHRA) information department indicates that Mbare Matapi, Mbare Hostels, Marlborough, Warren Park and Sunningdale clinics are completely closed and a few namely, Tafara, Mabvuku, Mufakose and Highfield and Dzivaresekwa clinics, are open, but not operational.

“The council clinic gates are opening but there is no one to attend to patients, we are stuck and we do not know where to go to access medication”, said CHRA welfare chairperson Fatima Madamombe in Dzivaresekwa.

CHRA condemns the excuses given by Harare City Council as it is its duty to motivate its employees and provide them with adequate remuneration.

CHRA calls for Harare City Council to comply with the High Court order, failure to do so CHRA will not hesitate to approach the courts on contempt of court within seven days.