The state broadcaster the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation has in its news bulletins, completely ignored informing the nation about the dire situation the nation faces at the country’s major hospitals.
Doctors and nurses at hospitals countrywide have been on a massive go slow labour protest which began on the 1st of January culminating to a near full fledged strike by last night.
According to sources from the Zimbabwe Health Doctors Association and the Zimbabwe Nurses Association, about 90% of their members scheduled to had been at work last night did not report for duty. The few who turned up either just cannot cope with the workload or are on a deliberate go slow.
By late last night the situation at the hospitals was already at critical as reports of increased deaths of patients due to lack of attention began rising.
The state media down played the situation in its reportage yesterday dishing out false and misleading details of the situation on the ground.
Meanwhile, a nurse employed at the United Bulawayo Hospitals who was on duty last night reported the presence of what she described as” strange men” who arrived at the hospital late last night checking on staff who did not report for duty as scheduled. According to the nurse the people were somewhat unkind and intolerant as they demanded names and contacts of all those who did not report for duty.
As of this morning (Monday), several hospitals were reporting a record low number of nurses and doctors.
In a combined statement issued yesterday, the ZHDA and ZINA urged their members not to report for duty this morning.
The doctors and nurses have not been paid their December 2015 salaries and bonuses which government has promised to pay on the 9th of January. In the meantime, government has paid the doctors and nurses on average $20 each which is transport money at public transport rates to get them to work while they wait for their salaries.