Mnangagwa gives in to doctor's demands

Health minister David Parirenyatwa yesterday said the impasse between government and striking doctors, who are demanding improved conditions of service, has been resolved.

Parirenyatwa said the Health Services Board and the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors' Association had been locked up in meetings where a number of grievances affecting the doctors countrywide had been addressed.

"The Health Services Board and the doctors met through the bipartite forum, where grievances and issues concerning doctors were addressed," he said.

"There was the issue of car loans for the doctors, and we have since sourced $10 million to cater for that and the other issue was concerning trainee doctors who wanted to be guaranteed some jobs after training.

"The issue of allowances that were behind from November last year was also addressed and we started paying them in February this year, that's where we are right now."
He said some of the junior doctors were still not reporting for work, but others had resumed their duties.

"The most affected hospitals were Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, Mpilo Central Hospital, United Bulawayo Hospitals, Harare Central Hospital and partly Chitungwiza Central Hospital.

"In Manicaland we had but a slight problem otherwise the situation is under control," Parirenyatwa said.

Outpatients in Bulawayo and Harare were left stranded since the beginning of the industrial action after being turned away due to critical staff shortage, as the doctors' strike continued countrywide.