THE Health Services Board (HSB) has said Treasury has
agreed to adjust cost of living allowances and provide health-specific
allowances to end the countrywide doctors’ strike that started yesterday.
According to the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors’ Association,
doctors manning all Government hospitals “are not in a position to go to work
due to inadequate salaries and allowances”.
However, in an interview yesterday, HSB chairperson Dr
Paulinus Sikosana said negotiations were continuing to ensure that vulnerable
members of the public did not suffer.
“We had an agreement with them as the health apex committee
on the adjustment on the cost of living. The collective agreement, however, had
conditionalities where doctors said they are not satisfied and we have since
sent a request to Treasury which has been accepted,” said Dr Sikosana.
“We have already submitted the key scale salary document to
Treasury that they provide for an adjustment and it has concurred saying
resources are available to cater for the adjustments presented in the request.”
According to Dr Sikosana, HSB has also noted the request by
doctors to have their cost of living allowances adjusted for the last quarter
of the year.
“That will depend on the ability of the economy and
Treasury to absorb the costs. So in the long term depending on the performance
of the economy the Government has the intention to ensure all civil servants
are able to have remuneration that will sustain them in this country,” added Dr
Sikosana. Herald
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