The Health Apex Council, which is the union representing nurses and doctors employed by the government, on Tuesday said its members will embark on a strike from 29 February to 02 March if the Health Service Commission continues ignoring their grievances over low salaries.
In a letter to the commission, the council said health workers have become incapacitated as their meagre salaries have been eroded by hyperinflation. The letter reads in part:
<blockquote>
Ref: Incapacitation of health workers.
Dear Sir
The above subject refers that: the health workers as an essential service are incapacitated by the volatile economic environment which is characterized by the loss of value of the ZWL, price disparities and distortions, and hyperinflation.
The health apex panel has on numerous occasions written to the employer highlighting the plight of health workers. Sadly, to this day nothing has materialized.
Health workers are severely affected by the following reasons as already raised in the position paper:
1. Non-engagement of health workers on remuneration and conditions of service.
2. Exclusion of health workers on the April 2023 cost of living adjustment.
3. Non-review of health sector-specific allowances.
4. Very low basic salary, housing and transport allowances which are now less than USD 10 combined at the prevailing interbank market.
4. Poor grading among health workers.
5. Non-benefiting from non-monetary incentives, no vehicle loan, review downwards of the vehicle rebate amounts.
6. Non-benefiting from PSMAS as a medical aid.
7. Non-availability of tools of trade i.e. equipment, medicines, and surgical supplies.
The health workers are formally giving a 48-hour written notice (from Monday the 26th of February 2024 to Wednesday the 28th of February 2024) for a collective job action in terms of section 16(2)(b) and (c) of the Health Services Act.
The collective job action will commence on Thursday the 29th of February 2024 and end on Saturday the 2nd of March 2024 if the grievances have not been addressed.
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Pindula News

Nurses, Doctors Announce Two-day Strike Over Low Salaries

The Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association has issued a statement briefing the nation of the industrial action which its members embarked on 51 days ago over unsustainable salaries and poor working conditions. We present the statement in full below.
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FULL TEXT: Doctors Give Update On Strike

Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association (ZHDA), a union for junior and middle-level doctors has said that doctors will continue with the industrial action despite threats from the government.
Speaking to the Daily News on Friday 18 October, the association said:
<blockquote>ZHDA members remain incapacitated and threatening doctors will not solve this crisis. It actually exacerbates the situation.
We remain open for negotiations with a neutral, well-recognised mediator with the employer on a separate platform and are willing to go back to work once an assuring and sustainable solution is found on fair and faithful grounds.</blockquote>
The remarks come after President Emmerson Mnangagwa issued <a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/2019/10/18/ed-sends-chilling-warning-to-striking-doctors/">a chilling warning to striking doctors</a> saying that they will later regret their decisions.
He said that doctors must return to work and negotiate for their salaries whilst assisting patients who are reportedly dying in public hospitals as no one is attending to them.
Meanwhile, the Health Services Board yesterday issued a statement <a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/2019/10/18/full-text-govt-doctors-reach-agreement-on-salaries-report/">suggesting that the doctors and government had agreed to a 100% salary increment,</a> a development which the ZHDA said it was not aware of since it pulled out of the Health Apex Council.
More: <a href="https://www.dailynews.co.zw/articles/2019/10/19/doctors-carry-on-with-strike">Daily News</a>

Doctors "Not Intimidated By Threats", Carry On With Strike

The government and the representatives of Doctors have reportedly met to negotiate salaries of doctors who have been on strike since the 3rd of September this year. In a statement, the Health Services Board said that the government had offered a 100 percent allowance increment.
<a href="https://healthtimes.co.zw/2019/10/18/breaking-gvt-doctors-strike-deal-doctors-to-get-hefty-pay-increase/">Health Times</a> claims that Health Minister, Dr Obadiah Moyo confirmed the development but said the HSB would issue a statement. We present below the statement which the HSB is said to have issued.
<blockquote>Press Statement on the outcome of Health Service Bipartite Negotiating Panel Meeting held on 18 October 2019
Parties to the Health Service Bipartite Negotiating Panel (HSBNP) met on 18 October 2019 to continue the unfinished negotiations on the review of the Health Sector-Specific Allowances following the signing of Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) number 3 of 2019 on 04 October 2019.
CBA 3 of 2019, provided for a 60% adjustment on the Health Sector Specific Allowances with effect from 01 October 2019.
On 18 October 2019, parties to the HSBNP agreed that the said CBA 3 of 2019 be amended to provide for a review of the Health Sector Specific Allowances by a further 40%, from 60%.
This review is with effect from 01 October 2019.
From:
The Office of the Executive Chairman
Health Service Board</blockquote>
Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association who are no longer part of the Health Apex Council told the Health Times that they are not aware of the developments.
More: <a href="https://healthtimes.co.zw/2019/10/18/breaking-gvt-doctors-strike-deal-doctors-to-get-hefty-pay-increase/">Health Times</a>

FULL TEXT: Govt & Doctors Reach Agreement On Salaries - REPORT

The government has resolved to carry on with talks with the Health Apex Council to avert a potentially crippling strike by medical practitioners in the public health delivery system.
On Monday, Vice President Kembo Mohadi met the Health Services Board (HSB) and the Health Apex Council where he urged them to continue with their dialogue while the government works on finding a lasting solution to the problems being faced by medical professionals.
This was revealed by HSB chairman Dr Paulinus Sikosana. Speaking to The Herald on Monday night, she said:
Vice President Mohadi was supportive of the negotiations and called on both parties to continue dialoguing while Government plays its part.
Dr Sikosana said that she was surprised by the doctors’ plans to embark on industrial action as there was no indication of that eventuality during their last meeting. She said:
<blockquote>The records of the Bipartite meeting held on Thursday 29 August do not show any dissent from any members of the Health Apex Council.
The agreement was signed by the Apex leader following an outcome of a vote by all Apex representatives.
This is what the Apex leader told the Government representatives at the meeting.</blockquote>
Dr Sikosana also revealed that flexible working hours for nurses should continue.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.herald.co.zw/vp-mohadi-calls-for-dialogue/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Herald</a></h4>

VP Mohadi Meets Doctors To Prevent Strike

The Health Apex Council has warned the government that its members will go on a partial strike next week because of the government’s failure to address their grievances.
If by the end of the week, the government fails to deal with the issues they raised, the Council will embark on a full-blown strike. Below is the full statement:
<blockquote>Re: FEEDBACK ON PROPOSED INDUSTRIAL ACTION
We refer to the above subject and would want to state the following:-
1. On the 24th of May 2019, the Health Apex delivered its notice of intention to embark on industrial action after the expiring of 14 days unless certain grievances raised had been fully addressed.
2. The notice period expired on the 13th of June 2019.
3. On the 14th of June 2019, the Health Apex Council and the Health Associations convened to revies the position in light of the grievances raised. 
The following Associations were fully represented:-
<ul>
<li>Zimbabwe Nurses Association</li>
<li>Nurse Aides Association of Zimbabwe</li>
<li>Zimbabwe Professional Nurses Union</li>
<li>Zimbabwe Health Workers Union</li>
<li>Zimbabwe Government Radiographers Association</li>
<li>Zimbabwe Confederation of Midwives</li>
<li>Zimbabwe Pharmacy Technician Association</li>
<li>Government Therapists Association</li>
<li>Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association</li>
</ul>
4. It was noted in the aforementioned meeting that whilst there had been some attempt to address minor grievances, the most important grievance relating to remuneration of health workers vis a vis the current economic climate had not been addressed.
5. In light of the above, the meeting resolved to partially withdraw services for one week concurrently reiterate the need for the Health Service Board to resolve all grievances.
6. To this end, it has been resolved that all health workers will attend work for only two days between the period 17th to 23rd June 2019.
7. Should the remaining grievances remain unresolved by the close of day on the 23rd of June 2019, all health workers will completely withdraw their labour from the 24 of June 2019.
8. We trust the above is clear and that it is in order.</blockquote>
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