Philemon Jambaya
Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association (ZHDA) on Wednesday warned that the country could be left with few experienced health personnel if the government continue to ignore their plight.
This follows reports that local doctors and other disgruntled health professionals are currently receiving invitations to join foreign health institutions in neighboring countries.
Speaking at a press briefing in the capital ZHDA chairperson Francis Rwodzi warned the government should act swiftly or risk losing health practitioners.
“If the government fails to meet the demands of doctors they risk losing them since we are receiving some invitations to join international health organisations that are better paid,” he said.
Rwodzi is surprised that the government is prioritizing other things such as purchase of luxury vehicles while taking doctors on strike for granted.
“Government is neglecting the issues of the doctors which is a trending issue at the moment,” he said.
ZHDA said that it’s a drawback by government’s inaction to improve the needs of doctors.
“Junior doctors specifically as they go home with a salary averaged at US 280 dollars a month as compared to traditional Chiefs who are paid more than that.
“It is surprising that the government prioritizes the living conditions of chiefs while abandoning junior doctors and they are frustrated about that,” Rwodzi said.
He added that Zimbabwe is losing largely as it takes a lot of money amounting to $50 000 to educate one doctor only for government failing to maintain that investment.
The issue of doctor’s strike could have been easily thwarted if the Health Services Board had agreed to honour the 14 days notice that was given by the doctors.
“We gave notice to the Health Services board that they need to review the salaries of Junior Doctors which they declined to honor within the given period of notice,” said Rwodzi.
However the Health Services Board says the strike is illegal which the ZHDA chairperson dismissed saying they needed to do the strike to improve their conditions and salaries.
