Paul Nyathi

Vice President Constantino Chiwenga on Monday said government had reviewed salaries and allowances for health professions, in a bid to motivate them to return back to work.

Zimbabwe’s health professionals have been on strike for several months now.

Addressing journalists, VP Chiwenga, also the minister of Health and Child Care, said the workers will be also offered housing and vehicle loans.

“We have now reviewed salaries and allowances for health professionals as a way of government commitment to make the national health care system competitive. To this end, an overall increase on health sector specific allowances will be effected by government,” he said.

He added : ”The Ministry of Health and Child Care new structure includes the critical infrastructure planning and development department which is key to the provision of accommodation for health professionals among other infrastructure needs. Housing and vehicle loans will also form part of the improved conditions of service.”

Going forward, VP Chiwenga said, the health professionals must now deliver their mandate.

“We expect all grievances to be solved amicably through discussion without endangering the lives of patients. Never again shall patient’s lives be used as pawns in a game of chess.

“Health professionals will now be expected to be true to their oath of office. We also expect any demands to be made based on our national reality,” he said.

He added; “As government we commit to continuously review the conditions of service of our health professionals.”

Speaking at the same event, Finance and Economic Development Minister Prof Mthuli Ncube said government would however not overspend on the salary reviews.

“Indeed our intention is to improve the conditions of service for the health sector and also the entire civil service focusing on call salaries as well as specific health sector allowances.

“As we do this, we will seek to make sure that we stay within our budgetary parameters so that civil servants wage bill does not run away,” he said.

This comes as government and civil servants are set for salary talks on Wednesday.

The civil servants are demanding an equivalent of their October 2018 forex salaries.

Currently, the lowest paid civil servants earns below the ZWL$14.000 poverty datum line.

New Ziana