Doctors demand special treatment at roadblocks

Medical practitioners have appealed to the Zimbabwe Republic Police for special exemption at roadblocks saying they are wasting critical time in attending to emergencies, Bulawayo24.com has learnt.

Under the Zimbabwe Medical Association (ZiMA) the doctors  wrote to the Senior Assistant Commissioner Commanding Traffic seeking a special exemption.

Of late locals have complained of numerous roadblocks accusing police of using them to demand bribes.

"Some of our members have advised us that they sometimes fail to attend to emergencies at hospitals or their practices in time due to delays at police roadblocks in and around our various towns" wrote a Dr S Botopo, ZiMa national secretary general in a letter dated July 14.

"We always encouraged our members to ensure that their vehicles and their  driving habits are in compliance with traffic laws and regulations at all times.

"However through the passage of time or pressure at work, our doctors are occasionally found on the other side of traffic regulations, and they are to pay spot fines.

"If they are unable to pay spot fines due to the unavailability of cash on their persons, they are sometimes detained or have their vehicles impounded" added Botopo.

"It is against this background that we write to your esteemed office to allow for a special dispensation to medical practitioners who prove such as at police roadblocks to be allowed to proceed and pay fines for any offenses later at police stations after they have attended to their patients,".

Botopo said for easy identification, the medical practitioners will have "ZiMA issued blue sticker on their vehicles".

The sticker will have the doe registration number and the vehicle registration number.