Last month, the Health Services Board (HSB) removed 1 032
nurses from its pay sheets after they insisted on not working or only working
sharply reduced hours. They have, however, shown contrition and inundated the
Government with letters of apology.
In their letters, they vowed to comply with the prescribed
shifts, with the Zimbabwe Nurses Association (Zina) confirming last week that
they had reverted to standard rosters.
Authorities agreed to forgive the repentant ones and,
yesterday, HSB chair Dr Paulinas Sikhosana confirmed that the process of returning
nurses to the payroll had started with some having been already reinstated.
“We have started the process and some are now on the pay
sheets,” he said. “I am not sure about the numbers as yet, but those who
apologised earlier like the ones at Sally Mugabe Central Hospital have been
reinstated.”
A total of 504 Sally Mugabe Central Hospital nurses, 258 at
Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals and 229 at United Bulawayo Hospitals have
formally apologised.
Of the 1 032 struck off the pay sheets by the HSB, only 41
are yet to formally express regret for defying a legal directive for them to
resume normal shifts.
Of the 41 who are yet to officially ask for pardon, a few
are union leaders and investigations show that some of them have found
employment elsewhere, but have yet to formally resign from Government employ
and continued drawing salaries from two employers.
Last week, Zina president Mr Enock Dongo said the
association had told their members to cancel the “flexi-hours” regime and start
reporting 40 hours a week in compliance with the Government directive.
“We do not want confrontation with Government,” he said.
“We are now working 40 hours a week like what was directed by Government. We
are giving dialogue a chance and we want genuine dialogue with Government, so
we are waiting for them to address our concerns while we are working normal
duty roasters.”
Mr Dongo said the Zina leadership had a strong feeling that
what they were saying in meetings with Government representatives was not being
reported correctly to the country’s leadership.
He said they were willing to engage Health and Child Care
Minister Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, his deputy Dr John Mangwiro, and
Permanent Secretary Dr Jasper Chimedza, to have their concerns addressed.
Acting Health and Child Care Minister Professor Amon
Murwira confirmed the resumption of normal rosters by nurses.
“We are taking their issue further and what I can say is
that they can expect positive feedback,” he said in an interview. “The nurses
who were initially not reporting for duty wrote letters to us apologising.
“The nurses who wrote the letters say they do not have
anything to do with the conflict that has been going on. I am happy that they
are working and what we want is to improve the country’s health system.”
Government has made it clear that it will pay the maximum
possible to civil servants, but that the total is guided by the revenue inflows
from taxes and under no circumstances will the Government borrow or print money
to meet monthly bills.
VP Chiwenga is restructuring the health sector and is
pushing for a sustainable funding model, far greater effectiveness, and a new
work ethic for staff.
Officials in the Ministry of Health and Child Care say
emphasis is now on improving the provision of drugs, effective service delivery
in hospitals, as well as improving the conditions of healthcare workers from
remuneration to conducive ambience at the workplace. Herald
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