News / Health
Doctors ordered to 'go back to work'
29 Oct 2014 at 02:16hrs | Views
The minister of Health and Child Care, David Parirenyatwa, on Tuesday pleaded with the striking doctors to go back to work as negotiations with the health board are on-going.
"We have a health board and we have used this channel before as it is the right channel to deal with all issues pertaining to conditions of health services. They are dealing with the issue and they will give us the way forward," said Parirenyatwa.
The doctors are demanding a review of their salaries from the monthly basic of $282 to $1 200, as well as improved working conditions.
Secretary-general of Zimbabwe Hospital Association (ZHDA) Farai Makoni told The Zimbabwe Mail yesterday that doctors will decide on way forward today.
"I can confirm that the strike is still on (but) we will, however, tomorrow (today) decide as members on whether to go back to work or remain on strike," said Makoni.
Meanwhile, the strike action yesterday eclipsed the official handover and opening of the Mpilo Central Hospital Accidents and Emergency Ward refurbished to the tune of $20 000 by Mealie Brand in a successful public private partnership deal.
In his welcome remarks, Mpilo Hospital acting chief executive Wedu Ndebele acknowledged the doctor's strike and said besides that, staff shortages continued to harm the institution's health service delivery.
"Staff shortages and the breakdown of equipment and the current strike by junior medical officers is affecting Mpilo," he said.
Mpilo, once a regional giant in the health system, is succumbing to obsolete equipment, inadequate staff and struggling to reclaim its referral status.
Ndebele said maternity theatres and other general theatres at the institution needed refurbishment.
He thanked Mealie Brand, a division of Zimplow Holdings, for their gesture which he said was therapeutic.
"In that ward, even a patient might get well by just seeing their face on the floors,'' adding that the ward was effective in infection control.
Mealie Brand refurbished the extensive ward that receives and resuscitates causalities, finishing it with a modern floor and wall tiling. Modern elbow taps were put in the ward, dressed with a fresh coat of wall paint and state of the art electric fans.
The company also adopted the ward.
Khami District administrator Tariro Shereni Magura challenged other Bulawayo companies to emulate Mealie Brand, saying the private company's donation was an example of what a coordinated approach could bring.
"Government recognises the role of the private sector and this is an example of what a multi-sectoral approach can do," said Magura, who was standing in for Provincial Affairs minister for Bulawayo Metropolitan, Eunice Sandi-Moyo.
He said these were some of the projects that government envisaged under the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio Economic Transformation (ZimAsset).
The managing director for Mealie Brand, Walter Chigwada, said his company deliberately chose Mpilo for the donation of the refurbishment as part of its policy to be a business in society.
"We also donate two tonnes of maize to Ingutsheni Hospital every month as part of our social responsibility," he said.
"We have a health board and we have used this channel before as it is the right channel to deal with all issues pertaining to conditions of health services. They are dealing with the issue and they will give us the way forward," said Parirenyatwa.
The doctors are demanding a review of their salaries from the monthly basic of $282 to $1 200, as well as improved working conditions.
Secretary-general of Zimbabwe Hospital Association (ZHDA) Farai Makoni told The Zimbabwe Mail yesterday that doctors will decide on way forward today.
"I can confirm that the strike is still on (but) we will, however, tomorrow (today) decide as members on whether to go back to work or remain on strike," said Makoni.
Meanwhile, the strike action yesterday eclipsed the official handover and opening of the Mpilo Central Hospital Accidents and Emergency Ward refurbished to the tune of $20 000 by Mealie Brand in a successful public private partnership deal.
In his welcome remarks, Mpilo Hospital acting chief executive Wedu Ndebele acknowledged the doctor's strike and said besides that, staff shortages continued to harm the institution's health service delivery.
"Staff shortages and the breakdown of equipment and the current strike by junior medical officers is affecting Mpilo," he said.
Mpilo, once a regional giant in the health system, is succumbing to obsolete equipment, inadequate staff and struggling to reclaim its referral status.
He thanked Mealie Brand, a division of Zimplow Holdings, for their gesture which he said was therapeutic.
"In that ward, even a patient might get well by just seeing their face on the floors,'' adding that the ward was effective in infection control.
Mealie Brand refurbished the extensive ward that receives and resuscitates causalities, finishing it with a modern floor and wall tiling. Modern elbow taps were put in the ward, dressed with a fresh coat of wall paint and state of the art electric fans.
The company also adopted the ward.
Khami District administrator Tariro Shereni Magura challenged other Bulawayo companies to emulate Mealie Brand, saying the private company's donation was an example of what a coordinated approach could bring.
"Government recognises the role of the private sector and this is an example of what a multi-sectoral approach can do," said Magura, who was standing in for Provincial Affairs minister for Bulawayo Metropolitan, Eunice Sandi-Moyo.
He said these were some of the projects that government envisaged under the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio Economic Transformation (ZimAsset).
The managing director for Mealie Brand, Walter Chigwada, said his company deliberately chose Mpilo for the donation of the refurbishment as part of its policy to be a business in society.
"We also donate two tonnes of maize to Ingutsheni Hospital every month as part of our social responsibility," he said.
Source - Zim Mail
