The Sunday Mail
Dr Mxolisi Ngwenya
It has been 25 days since junior doctors embarked on an industrial action to force Government to address work-related grievances dating to the time of the Mr Robert Mugabe’s regime. The Sunday Mail’s Health Reporter Shamiso Yikoniko last week spoke to Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association vice-president and spokesperson Dr Mxolisi Ngwenya on demands by medical professionals.
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The strike by doctors is a reaction to failure by Government to address a number of issues dating from 2014 like unavailability of drugs, medicines and essential equipment in our hospitals.
Doctors are working without basics like gloves, patients are at times given nearly expired drugs, women get into labour without any intravenous fluids to mention but a few of the issues we are working under.
We also raised the issue of non-defined working hours of doctors.
We work up to 36 hours non-stop and a tired doctor is bound to make mistakes.
Doctors also raised the issue of call allowances, which were set to be $10 per hour, but it’s currently at $1,50 per hour.
This promise of $10 was made by the Honourable Minster of Health Dr David Parirenyatwa four years ago.
We also raised an issue that we want our risk and medical allowances to be reviewed.
These are some of the issues that prompted us to go on an industrial action.
These issues were raises to the minister on January 23, 2018 and we got an unsatisfactory response.
We responded to him again on February 5, 2018 warning him of a looming industrial action if he did not attend to these issues.
On March 1, 2018 our members decided to go on an industrial action.
We also have the issue of a vehicle duty-free waiver to enable us to import cars.
We cannot continue to use public transport because of the need to attend to emergencies as quickly as possible.
In other countries and regions, doctors take home not less than US$3 000.
Here, we are getting $400 per month.
As doctors we are saying as long as our issues are not addressed, we are not going back to work because we do not want to be in the habit of industrial actions every year.
We are ready for a compromise done in good faith and on paper not verbal sayings that we will get $5 per hour while being paid $1,50 per hour.
Currently our doctor to patient ratio is amongst the highest in the world.
We are not producing sufficient doctors to cater for the public.
We are working hard and over-time to attend cases, but no one seems to take notice of our dedication to duty.
We just need recognition of our efforts.
The Hippocratic Oath states that I should not do any harm to my patients.
But if I go to work where there are no drugs and equipment I am doing harm to my patients by pretending that I am at work whilst there is nothing I am doing.
The Hippocratic Oath says that my patient comes first, but I cannot serve my patient while I am hungry; when I do not have nothing to feed my family and no medical cover for myself.
Patients should take up the matter with the ministry and Health Services Board because we are just hired guns to provide quality services and skills.
