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>
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