THE Health Service Board (HSB) and workers will next week meet to discuss a demand by civil servants to be paid in foreign currency following a nationwide outcry which propelled health workers to threaten a strike.
This was said by the HSB chairperson Dr Paulius Sikosana during a tour of Mpilo Central Hospital yesterday where nurses and doctors demanded to be paid in forex.
He said the board cannot promise them anything as the issue cuts across all ministries.
Dr Sikosana said the board had already written to treasury highlighting the challenges that health practitioners are facing.
“We will be meeting next week to deliberate on the issue at hand as we all know that this affects all civil servants. At the moment we cannot say or promise anything as we stand guided by relevant authorities to see if that is feasible,” said Dr Sikosana.
He said the meeting will be between health workers and the board.
“I think the Ministry is consulting on this issue which involves other civil servants so that we have a whole Government position on these demands,” he added.
According to Dr Sikosana the nationwide tour of all public hospitals is aimed at reinforcing confidence in the board which has been viewed in bad light.
“We decided to familiarise ourselves with the experiences of our workers as the recently appointed board. We do not want a situation where we are not in touch with the reality as such tends to lead to strikes and disgruntled workers,” he added.
Dr Sikosana encouraged doctors and nurses to continue availing quality health care as the board is aware of all the challenges they face.
Civil servants last week demanded salaries in United States dollars following the price increases and rejection of the bond note and electronic transfers by some shop owners and service providers.
The Zimbabwe Nurses Association (Zina) and the Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association (Zimta) said their salaries were too low and no longer worth much in the face of galloping commodity prices.
Zina general secretary Mr Enock Dongo said the prevailing economic environment had taken a toll on nurses.
“We demand that our salaries be paid in United States dollars since some shops are not accepting any other form of payment. We also call on the government to adopt flexible duties for the nurses,” he said. Herald
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