Striking doctors risk losing their monthly salaries should
they continue defying calls to return to work as Government is now invoking the
Labour Court ruling allowing it to institute disciplinary measures against
them.
This was said by Health and Child Care Minister Dr Obadiah
Moyo while fielding questions from journalists during the 37th Cabinet decision
matrix held yesterday.
“As you are aware, we requested the doctors to come back to
work. The Labour Court disposal order said Government should take disciplinary
action against those not coming to work. Government has taken a decision as
recommended by the Health Service Board who are following that disposal order
by the Labour Court, the disciplinary action will be done by HSB where doctors
not coming to work are disciplined, the first thing is whoever is not coming to
work will not be paid, secondly since they are not coming to work action
related to those not coming to work will be taken. The HSB has all the statutes
and they will follow them,” said Dr Moyo.
Questions had also been raised that some striking doctors
who rejected the 100 percent salary increment had indicated that they were not
willing to receive the money if it did not meet their expectations.
“That is sacred information you are telling us. From our
side we know that if someone is not at work they are not paid, it is that
simple,” said Dr Moyo.
Earlier, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services
Acting Minister Professor Amon Murwira had said Government had taken a decision
to take disciplinary action against striking doctors.
“Government has indeed gone out of its way to try and find
an amicable solution by addressing the concerns by the medical doctors through
constructive dialogue. However, given the uncompromising stance adopted by the
medical doctors which seems to be driven by other hidden interests, Government
through the Health Service Board remains committed to following the dictates of
the country’s laws and has come to the point where it has to commence
disciplinary proceedings for the striking doctors as from October 21, 2019,”
said Prof Murwira.
He said Government was giving attention to areas that
require concerted action in the medium to long term within the health service
system.
This included improving on material support to urban municipalities
to enhance their capacity to provide services, expeditious finalisation of
public-private partnership agreements at Central Hospitals to alleviate
shortages of medicines and equipment and thereby ensure continuity of services
among other measures.
It also included implementation of modalities for the
establishment of institutional accommodation to ease accommodation and
transport costs for health personnel and strengthening local manufacture of
drugs to render them more affordable to the generality of the Zimbabwean
people. Herald
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