Central hospitals resume operations

Former Heath Minister David Parirenyatwa happy to have forced Health Professionals out of the Zimbabwe hospitals
Herald Reporter

CENTRAL hospitals in Harare have resumed operations after nurses and doctors, including specialists, returned to work following assurances by the Government that their conditions of service would be addressed as a matter of urgency.

However, both Parirenyatwa and Harare central hospitals were admitting a limited number of patients and most wards were still closed.

When The Herald visited Harare Central Hospital yesterday, health personnel at the institution could not hide their joy...

as they were patiently waiting for their monthly allowance from donors.

However, the paediatric section at the Children’s Hospital is one of the departments that has not been opened yet due to vandalism during the hospital closure.

The Children’s Hospital, located within Harare Central Hospital, is the largest children’s hospital in the country.

Without providing much information on the state of the institution, Harare Central Hospital’s public relations officer Mrs Monica Mukotsanjera said while the hospital had started treating patients, it was not yet operating to its normal capacity.

Some specialist doctors who spoke to The Herald at Parirenyatwa Hospital said they agreed to return to work a fortnight ago but some have not been coming.

"We agreed that since the hospital is now getting assistance from well-wishers we can now return to work but others are not coming. Some doctors on call are not turning up when there is an emergency so it is now an individual decision," said one doctor who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Specialist doctors downed tools last year demanding a review of their working conditions such as repairing of equipment and provision of drugs and sundries.

While health professionals have welcomed the allowances in foreign currency by the donor community, they lamented the huge disparity with those given to senior professionals.

The allowances have seen nurses going home with at least US$60 while doctors are getting as much as US$500 on top of their monthly salaries.

Miss Tsitsi Singizi, spokesperson for United Nations Children’s Fund (providing allowances for health workers) earlier on said they arrived at the figures basing on Government salary scale.

However, the health professionals were of the view that donors should not differentiate the allowances but pay them uniformly.

Unicef said it has adequate funds for all health workers and they will be paid to those who report for work.

Meanwhile, health workers have also received US$100 worth of vouchers across the board in allowances paid by the Government.

The vouchers are redeemable at selected banks.