According to the Zimbabwe lndependant,the Covid19 health frontline personnel have had enough of the government’s false promises.
This comes against the backdrop of the government’s disregard of their general welfare.The health staff said they have not received any allowances that they were promised since the beginning of the outbreak.
ln the meantime,Medics from the army have been called in at Wilkins Infectious Diseases Hospital in Harare to replace the nurses who refused to attend to patients until their issues have been addressed.
Apparently,the nurses are currently working for a mere ZW$1000 – ZW$2000.
“This week, the nurses wrote to the City of Harare’s director of health Services, Prosper Chonzi, stating they were disappointed that they were being expected to work in a highly infectious environment without any monetary incentives. The nurses are only being paid monthly salaries, ranging between ZW$1 000 and ZW$2 000, which they say are not enough to sustain them”,said Bridget Mananavire.
Several nurses at the infectious diseases hospital are now eyeing greener pastures, especially at the private Covid-19 facilities that are being established in the capital,this according to Zimbabwe lndependant.
The frontline team stressed their inability to perform their duties anymore because they are hungry and they cannot fend for their families. They have been working since January on the frontline of this pandemic, but up to today,they have not received any salary increment and no allowance,” the Wilkins nurses said in one of the letters under the subject matter: “Incapacitation of frontline workers”.
As of the 19th of April, the nurses were not attending to patients, as their concerns had not yet been addressed.
They further demanded a written document stating that they would receive risk allowances as well as life insurance in United States dollars.
The Zimbabwe government should make sure they do something very soon.They simply cannot afford to have such a strike in the midst of the novel coronavirus outbreak.This could lead to an escalation on the cases of the epidemic.
Allowances aside,$1000 – $2000 is very little as salary for nurses.They deserve much more than that.
Source : Zimbabwe lndependant