All Healthcare workers including doctors, nurses, radiographers, midwives have gone on strike.
They informed the government through a letter:
Ref: Incapacitation of Health Workers due to low remuneration. Further to out 23 of May 2020 communication to the employer citing harsh macro economic conditions characterized by hyperinflation, exchange rate volatility, and three tier pricing system. The Health A, position suggested a reed for a Cost of Living Adjustment in the second quarter of 2020. Sadly up to now, no formal communication has been received from the employer by way of writing or convening of the HSBNP. Since that date up to now the socio-economic situation h. continued to deteriorate with the inflation rate reaching 785% (Year on Year) and exchange rate reaching over RTGS 90 to 1 USD. The bread basket for a family of six as measured by the Consumer Council of Zimbabwe is now pegged at ZWL 8500. The current, ZWL salaries can’t ,sustainably take care of the families of health care workers under the prevailing socio-economic situation.
Again the Health Sector Specific Allowances which were awarded backdated to 1 January 2020 were not paid according to the CBA 2 of 2020. That back pay has been eroded by inflation. To that end the Healthcare workers are economically incapacitated to continue reporting for duty until the remuneration package is reviewed to their satisfaction. We have noted with gmat concern the circular on various media platforms that the government has offered USD75 as Covid19 allowance across board and this is applaudable as this is a global trend during this pandemic. However, we as health care workers await for a communique based on CBA on our allowances pegged in United States Dollars. Our members have rejected the current offer of USD 75 with the contempt it deserves.
The Healthcare workers demand that: salaries revert back to the 1st of October 2018 digits that were quoted in USD which is a stable currency that can store value of that salary. In that way, pensions, savings, medical aids, funeral policies will not continue to be eroded. This letter serves to inform you that the health care workers as you might have witnessed have already taken matters into their hands and have withdrawn their services. Therefore we would like to officially communicate as the Health Apes that health workers have
withdrawn their services with immediate effect until our demands have been met.