by Favour Matenga
A cross section of people has expressed dismay at the striking medical doctors’ unnecessary delays in reaching an agreement with Government which has negatively affected health services delivery throughout the country for a month. This emerged from a snap survey which was carried out by the Harare Post in the capital today.
“The strike has been going on since 1 December 2018 and a lot of lives have been lost and one begins to wonder whether the doctors are still driven by the passion to treat people and by their code of ethics which prioritises saving lives or they now have another agenda which they are not declaring. I understand that Government has agreed with them on eight of their 10 demands save for two which include the sticky issue of being paid in foreign currency,” complained Samuel Bikinesi of Kuwadzana who had brought his sick mother to Parirenyatwa Hospital.
Respondents were particularly incensed by the doctors’ dodgy behaviour during the last round of talks between Government and their representatives on 31 December when they reportedly agreed with the former only for them to turn around after consulting some yet to be identified party during the preparation of the talks communiqué and disagree with what they had earlier agreed on.
“We hear that Government had agreed to improve service delivery through increasing the availability of drugs and other medical consumables, offered them a motor vehicle loan scheme and duty-free importation of vehicles, committing to review all health workers’ remuneration in April this year, donor-funded retention allowances and the payment of doctors and radiographers in lieu of leave for those whose salaries had been suspended. Government also offered a guarantee against the victimisation of participants in the strike but we hear that they refused the offers.
Although the doctors, like any other civil servants, may have genuine welfare issues, I personally think that they are now pursuing another agenda other than their concerns. One can’t rule out the hand of the opposition which is known for its penchant for the politics of sabotage,” said Lovemore Marawo, a politics and administration graduate from Chitungwiza.
“The way these doctors have been handling the dialogue with Government is frustrating. How can one explain their hard line position which has seen them holding Government and the entire nation at ransom, literally superintending over the deaths of innocent people in the process,” said a bitter Claudine Kapaso from Ruwa.
People were disappointed with the doctors’ stance which seemed to be influenced by the opposition’s desire to land power by any means.
“If the doctors want to play politics, why don’t they simply join the opposition instead of using an industrial relations issue to push ulterior political programmes?” questioned Samson Muchawo of Southlea Park, who was waiting in a queue at the Harare Central Hospital in the hope of getting his diabetic brother attended.
