By A Correspondent| Nurses and and medical staff at Avenues Clinic are currently engaging in some kind of industrial action demanding among other things, COVID-19 tests for all workers, proper PPE and risk allowances in United States dollars.

This follows reports that eight workers tested positive for COVID-19 including one nurse who used to work from the casualty section.

The recent positive cases have forced the hospital to close its casualty section while relatives and friends of admitted patients have also been banned from visiting the medical centre.

According to a source close to the developments, workers reported for duty but refused to enter the premises, choosing to remain outside the gate while waiting for the top hierarchy to address them.

“There is a nurse who tested positive to COVID-19, she started feeling sick after reporting for night duty and was send back home for quarantine at home, but they did not test her though her symptoms were so visible,

“Her health was deteriorating very fast and she had to find a doctor on her own, took PCR tests at Harare hospital on her own. She tested positive and is currently admitted at Parirenyatwa hospital

“So workers are saying we are at risk and Avenues is not willing to take care of us when we get sick, as what happened to their colleague, they are demanding that all workers be tested for COVID-19. They also want proper PPE and risk allowance paid in USD,” said the source.

At the time of publishing, the workers were still outside Avenues clinic while the hospital administration had not acted on their requests or addressed them officially.

Efforts to get a comment from Avenues administration are still ongoing.

This is a developing story, keep refreshing for more details…