FULL TEXT- “End The Self Defeating Madness On Doctors”: ZIMA Tells Gvnt
12 October 2019
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The Zimbabwe Medical Association is once again appalled at the relentless and senseless attack on the medical profession by the state.

We were alarmed, but not entirely surprised to hear that the Vice Chancellor has suspended, without pay, two prominent surgeons purportedly for “inciting a strike”.

Messrs Mbuvayesango and Chimuka are senior professionals whose selfless contribution to the training of medical practitioners and unrewarded, dedicated and unheralded service to the Zimbabwean population is embarrassingly glaring.

Mr Mbuwayesango is the distinguished paediatric surgeon who separated the conjoint twins and has been a selfless teacher and represents Zimbabwe at COSECSA.

Mr Chimuka is a Cardiothoracic surgeon who had resuscitated our open heart programme until the government allowed the supplies to run out in 2018. Their crime is to support the demand that government should restore the capacity of the decaying public hospitals and the health professionals who can no longer afford to come to work. Even the Labour Court recently struggled to dismiss this claim.

ZIMA fully supports all doctors in Zimbabwe who find themselves in the untenable situation where they are expected to care for patients while they: barely have any equipment or drugs to use, are barely remunerated sufficiently to ensure that they turn up for work, are under the constant fear of being victimised for airing their genuine concerns and grievances.

We urge the government to urgently put an end to this misguided, misinformed and self- defeating madness before completely destroying what is left of the exasperated, strained, poorly funded and poorly governed heath delivery system.

ZIMA calls upon the Government to use dialogue and not confrontation to resolve
crises.

ZIMA calls all doctors to stand together against this unprecedented assault on the
profession.

ZIMA calls on all Zimbabweans to pray for preservation of life during these trying times for the medical profession.

GENUINE AND WELL MEANING DIALOGUE IS THE ONLY SOLUTION

ZIMA National Executive Council