By Admore Marambanyika  

The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has said that it stands in solidarity with the striking and urged the government to quickly address their grievances and those of the rest of the civil service.

The nurses who are demanding better salaries, improved allowances and provision of medical essentials have since issued a 48-hour ultimatum for government to review their working conditions or they proceed to a full blown strike.

The nurses’ protests which are spreading across the country were triggered by demonstrations at Sally Mugabe hospital last week,  followed by protests by nurses at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals. Indications are that staff at Chitungwiza Central Hospital are joining and in the Midlands province, the Zimbabwe Nurses Association (ZINA) members submitted a petition outlining how the volatile economic environment characterised by salary erosion and price disparities — has rendered them unable to perform effectively.

In a statement, ZCTU said the nurses’ demands were legitimate and government needs to address the welfare of all civil servants.

“For years, medical workers have been calling for improved working conditions, enforceable staffing ratios and have been patient for too long while the government has been dragging feet. We urge the nurses to be steadfast in their demands. The fight for the safety and dignity that nurses and their patients must be unrelenting until sanity is restored in the public health sector.  The ZCTU reiterate that decent work is not a priviledge. It is not a secret that health sector workers are poorly remunerated and to cut some of their allowances is callous. The sector is collapsing simply because it is not being prioritised by central government,” said Tirivanhu Marimo, ZCTU Secretary General.

The nurses are demanding that the government reviews their salaries in line with the rising cost of living at a time most nurses are saying they received less amounts this month compared to other months. They are also demanding a review of housing and transport allowance saying the Public Service Commission (PSC) buses do not align with their shift patterns.

“The nurses also want free medical care at public hospitals, arguing they can no longer afford treatment themselves. This, coupled with shortages of medical sundries and equipment for them to be able to diligently discharge their duties, has been crippling effective treatment and care for patients. The government needs to quickly respond, address concerns raised to save lives. It is embarrassing that the nurses have downed tools on the heels of remarks by the Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Deputy Minister Kudakwashe Mnangagwa, that the lowest-paid civil servants now earns above the Poverty Datum Line and that government salaries have become competitive,” said Marimo.

ZINA President Enock Dongo described the nurses’ grievances as genuine, emphasizing that expecting them to survive on US$240 plus a ZiG component less than US$100 was a “purely a mockery”.

“Nurses are the first port of call for all clients visiting hospitals. Yet they are blamed for systemic resource shortages, while officials seem focused on workshops and lining pockets instead of delivering services,” he said.

Dongo urged the government to address the broader issues affecting the health delivery system holistically.

The Health Services Commission (HSC) secretary Christopher Pasi assured that the government is treating the matter with urgency.

“The Health Service Commission notes with concern the issues raised by health workers regarding salaries and working conditions,” he said.

Health and Child Care deputy minister Sleiman Kwidini told the media that government was aware of the issues and working to find solutions. 

He noted, however, that the spike in transport costs was unanticipated, arising from a global crisis.

“The crisis didn’t originate here; we didn’t anticipate it. However, their issue was being handled before the crisis. The government is not sitting back and is working on modalities on how to solve their issue. We are aware that their employer, the HSC, is working on their plight,” he said.