Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association (ZHDA) president, Peter Magombeyi, who was discharged from a South African medical institution is still holed up in in the neighbouring country despite his Twitter statement to the contrary that he was coming straight home to lead the doctors’ industrial action.

Magombeyi went to South Africa three weeks ago after the High Court ordered his release from hospital detention to seek expert help after he was allegedly abducted by suspected State security agents and found in Nyabira suffering from neurocognitive and psychological dysfunction.

Acting ZHDA president, Masimba Ndoro told ZimSentinel that Magombeyi was discharged, but he was not aware when the doctors’ leader would return to Zimbabwe.

“He is still in South Africa, out of hospital, discharged. I assume he is now fit and I am not sure when he is coming back. Yes he sent the video which is on YouTube from South Africa,” Ndoro said.

In a video, Magombeyi said the doctors and the whole nation is not happy with the health situation in Zimbabwe, describing State hospitals as “death traps” as many people are suffering and dying.

He also said the silent genocide happening in the hospital is greatly affecting the poor, those with low social economic statuses.

“We are not happy, the people of Zimbabwe are not happy, our patients are not happy, our patients are dying and our patients are suffering, and the silent genocide happening in our hospitals, our hospitals have become a death trap for many especially the poor, those with low social economic status. Doctors are disgruntled,” Magombeyi said.

The combative unionist added: “Doctors they do not get any pleasure from being on an collective job action, strike, the will to report  for duty, it exist, but the means doesn’t, currently we are offering essential services, those with life threatening conditions we attending to, for the rest we are incapacitated.”

He described the government’s offer to increase their salaries as “grossly inadequate, grossly demeaning and inappropriate” hence urging the government not to “exploit doctors and expose them to modern day slavery”.

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By Rutendo Bamu