News / Health
Doctors reject contracts
05 Apr 2016 at 06:34hrs | Views
THE stand-off between junior doctors and the government is continuing after the medical practitioners yesterday rejected amended contracts issued by the Health Service Board (HSB).
The month-long impasse between the HSB and first year doctors has negatively impacted on referral hospitals which are the hardest hit as they are grappling with an acute shortage of medical practitioners. They have reportedly been forced to turn away referrals from district hospitals as existing staff is failing to cope with the pressure.
Last week Health and Child Care Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa said no one was being turned away. One of the major sticking points is the government's decision to give junior doctors two-year contracts instead of the traditional three.
"The third year is used to gain experience for an open practising certificate that allows us to go into private practice. The two year contracts deny us that and ensure we're unemployable if the government doesn't take us. This is criminal," fumed one of the doctors.
The junior doctors from Mpilo and Parirenyatwa Hospitals led the rejection stating that the amended contracts still violated their constitutional rights.
Sources told The Chronicle that only eight out of the 78 doctors countrywide had signed the contracts. "Only four from Harare Central Hospital and four from the United Bulawayo Hospitals signed," said a source from the HSB. All doctors at Mpilo and Parirenyatwa reportedly rejected the contracts insisting on amendments.
Junior doctors said they would not be cowed into signing contracts that they feel enslave them. "The HSB is desperate for us to sign contracts because senior doctors had threatened to go on a full-fledged strike on April 1.
"That's why they're pleading with us to sign the contracts. There are still a lot of irregularities on the amended contract that's why we refused to append our signatures," said a junior doctor. The government, the doctors say, has offered them a gross monthly salary of $895 not stating allowances.
"The initial contract barred female doctors from getting pregnant but now they're saying they can get pregnant after serving at least 12 months. "These contracts are vague in the sense that they're two year contracts and they'll leave us desperate. A normal contract should be a three year contract," said another.
The contracts further prohibit the doctors from joining any union or strike, a clause which they say violates their constitutional rights. HSB chairman Dr Lovemore Mbengeranwa said their relationship with the doctors was mutual.
"We expected them to have signed their contracts by now. Our relationship with the JRMOs is of mutual benefit. They've to undergo their training through a two year internship," said Dr Mbengeranwa.
"We also benefit from their services. The information I have is that their concerns have been addressed and whatever arises while they are at work, as a board we're quite happy to address those issues".
The month-long impasse between the HSB and first year doctors has negatively impacted on referral hospitals which are the hardest hit as they are grappling with an acute shortage of medical practitioners. They have reportedly been forced to turn away referrals from district hospitals as existing staff is failing to cope with the pressure.
Last week Health and Child Care Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa said no one was being turned away. One of the major sticking points is the government's decision to give junior doctors two-year contracts instead of the traditional three.
"The third year is used to gain experience for an open practising certificate that allows us to go into private practice. The two year contracts deny us that and ensure we're unemployable if the government doesn't take us. This is criminal," fumed one of the doctors.
The junior doctors from Mpilo and Parirenyatwa Hospitals led the rejection stating that the amended contracts still violated their constitutional rights.
Sources told The Chronicle that only eight out of the 78 doctors countrywide had signed the contracts. "Only four from Harare Central Hospital and four from the United Bulawayo Hospitals signed," said a source from the HSB. All doctors at Mpilo and Parirenyatwa reportedly rejected the contracts insisting on amendments.
Junior doctors said they would not be cowed into signing contracts that they feel enslave them. "The HSB is desperate for us to sign contracts because senior doctors had threatened to go on a full-fledged strike on April 1.
"That's why they're pleading with us to sign the contracts. There are still a lot of irregularities on the amended contract that's why we refused to append our signatures," said a junior doctor. The government, the doctors say, has offered them a gross monthly salary of $895 not stating allowances.
"The initial contract barred female doctors from getting pregnant but now they're saying they can get pregnant after serving at least 12 months. "These contracts are vague in the sense that they're two year contracts and they'll leave us desperate. A normal contract should be a three year contract," said another.
The contracts further prohibit the doctors from joining any union or strike, a clause which they say violates their constitutional rights. HSB chairman Dr Lovemore Mbengeranwa said their relationship with the doctors was mutual.
"We expected them to have signed their contracts by now. Our relationship with the JRMOs is of mutual benefit. They've to undergo their training through a two year internship," said Dr Mbengeranwa.
"We also benefit from their services. The information I have is that their concerns have been addressed and whatever arises while they are at work, as a board we're quite happy to address those issues".
Source - chronicle
