Zimbabwe doctors salaries have been revealed. They are currently being paid an equivalent of USD 110 according to a post by a popular journalist. Doctors are the frontline staff working against the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Doctors have long been lobbying the government for a living wage as they are currently receiving a salary of RTGS 5800,00 which just above the poverty datum line.
Zimbabwe nurses are receiving much less and they have also resorted to industrial action to have their grievances addressed by the Zimbabwe government. At some point they were all fired by Vice President Constantino Chiwenga before being asked to reapply.
Zimbabwe poverty datum line
A family of five required at least $5 293 in February this year to meet its basic needs for it not to be deemed poor, a 17 percent jump from $4,492 the previous month, latest data shows according to Zimstat.
So the statistics suggest doctors in Zimbabwe are earning just above the poverty datum line, just shy of being called poor. Zimbabwe doctors salaries are the lowest when compared to the southern Africa region.
Doctors strike during covid-19
The doctors and nurses went on strike earlier last month as they were protesing against the lack of protective clothing as they attended potential covid-19 patients.
Doctors went on strike for three months last year as they were protesting for a living wage and a safer working environment. The impasse was broken when billionaire Strive Masiyiwa’s charity organisation Higher Life Foundation chipped in to to pay junior doctors a salary of $5000.
Anothe Masiyiwa company Ecosure also donated to the health cause this year. The insurance firm announced it will make available Personal Protective Equipment for the use by nurses and doctors working on the frontline to treat covid-19. In addition to providing protective equipment, Ecosure is also providing life and health insurance. The frontline medical staff will also be assisted with safe transport for their daily work from now for a period of a year.