On Tuesday, Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa told a
post-Cabinet media briefing that government had approved a proposal to
introduce the National Health Service (NHS) training and induction modules for
health workers, which will include lessons in patriotism.
“The proposed modules will cover public health service
orientation which speaks to national heritage and patriotism, management skills
development, conflict management and tailor-made courses in areas such as
sexual harassment,” Mutsvangwa said.
Zimbabwe Nurses Association president Enock Dongo said
indoctrination lessons would not result in improved welfare conditions for
health workers.
“We believe that anything done without the involvement of a
worker is a non-starter. It will not work. All the workers that I am talking
to, including myself, are not aware, and it will not see the light of the day,”
he said.
“Without consultations, it is bound to fail. It’s a waste
of time. Right now, we don’t even know what that is all about. I don’t think
government has to do all that. It just needs to give health workers a living
wage and by doing so, it will achieve patriotism and hard work which is beyond
the call of duty.”
In May, government announced plans to ban doctors and
nurses from going on strike for more than three days under proposed amendments
to the Health Services Act.
Under the proposed changes, those accused of “inciting”
doctors and nurses to strike could be jailed for up to three years. Newsday
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