Zimbabwe govt revisits doctors' contracts

Government is re-examining the proposed new contracts for doctors following an outcry by the health workers.

Health Services Board (HSB) communications executive Mr Nyasha Maravanyika said HSB's legal department was re-working the contract in liaison with the Minister of Health and Child Care David Parirenyatwa.

A new contract for junior doctors was introduced last month in a move aimed at discouraging interns from taking part in industrial action.

The initially proposed contract provided Government with the right to withhold payment of interns should they fail to report for duty over a month, or reduce payments depending on the number of days they were absent from work.

The contract stated that interns maybe paid an on-call allowance that may also be subject to review.

The contract denied female doctors maternity leave entitlements when they fall pregnant. Before the new contract proposal was made, junior doctors were entitled benefits just like senior doctors.

Through the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association (ZDHA), the junior doctors refused to sign the contracts, which they said were draconian. Junior doctors are medical students on attachment.