Senior doctors demand the Government to immediately reinstate fired junior doctors. This follows Health Service Board’s announcement that 211 junior and middle-level doctors were relieved of their duties.

“For the way forward the punitive disciplinary hearings must stop forthwith and those dismissed must have this decision reversed. A livable wage must be dispatched
“Robust dialogue in good faith should take place with key stakeholders to help direct the capacitation and of the workers and the public health institutions.

“These must be given timelines to yield results,” the Zimbabwe Senior Hospital Doctors Association said in a statement. ZSHDA claimed some of the junior and middle level doctors were fired as collateral damage while on marternity leave. The association also said training of both undergraduate and postgraduate doctors has been severely impacted by lack of clinical teaching “Senior doctors remain incapacitated and hospitals drugs and equipment remain inadequate. No meaningful service is being offered at central hospitals.

“Flexi-hour system remains in place as policy. This has greatly affected quality continuity of patient care. Junior and Middle level doctors have been dismissed from work for not being able to report for duty due to incapacitation. Some on maternity leave andsome who are training outside the country have also been served with letters accusing them of absenteeism,” said ZSHDA.

Added ZSHDA, “We continue to seek dialogue to resolve this impasse and restore services. However, we have been shocked and dismayed at the decision taken by the employer to dismiss the junior doctors who have clearly stated their desire to come to work but are incapacitated. These dismissals will neither capacitate the remaining workers nor improve service delivery.

“We wish the same zeal and energy being displayed in punishing doctors could have been applied to see to the welfare of beleaguered hospitals and workers. It is in the public domain that the purchasing power of health workers salaries has fallen by more than 1500% since October 2018. In addition, most have not been paid for 2 months. The Government acknowledged that indeed health workers are incapacitated and proceeded to offer some reprieve via measures which could not be extended to doctors.”

Source – Health Times