Nurses resume duties

Nurses who had embarked on a strike over on-call and night duty allowances have resumed duty after the Health Services Board agreed to raise what they are paid from US$3 to between US$50 and US$70 monthly.

The nurses downed tools for 11 days to protest unfair allocation of allowances after it emerged doctors were getting above US$250 in on-call and night duty allowances every month.

They also demanded a review of their grading system, which they said had been in a shambles since 2010. Zimbabwe Nurses Association president Mrs Regina Smith yesterday said, "Nurses resumed duties on Friday after both the Health Services Board and Treasury agreed to resolve our complaints."

The industrial action began at Harare and Chitungwiza Central Hospitals on April 27 and spread to Parirenyatwa and other Government facilities countrywide.