Doctors return to work

• Published date: 02 April 2018
• Publication title: The Herald

President MnangagwaThandeka Moyo Bulawayo Bureau. Doctors who have been on strike since the beginning of last month have said they are resuming work today.

Some departments at major Government hospitals such as Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo had been shut down as a result of the strike. The industrial action was called off during the Easter holidays and the doctors said they are resuming work today.

In a statement, Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association said they had finally reached an agreement with the Health Services Board after President Mnangagwa intervened. "Procurement of essential medicines and drugs is in motion and we expect an improvement soon so that we offer quality health care to patients.

There was an upward review of on-call allowances," said Dr Mxolisi Ngwenya. He said doctors would work hard and continually review the situation until the attainment of regional and international standards.

"Should the Health Services Board fail to honour the agreement we will have no choice, but to express our grievances again..

"We would like to thank His Excellency, Cde Mnangagwa for his intervention and swift action hence doctors will report for work in their numbers," said Dr Ngwenya. He said the process of procuring equipment and medicines was underway and doctors were aware of the shortage of foreign currency hence were not expecting change overnight.

United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) clinical director Dr Narcisius Dzvanga said everything should normalise today..

"No one comes from strike on a holiday and doctors will report for work tomorrow (today). The strike ended during a holiday and no one...