Reports revealed that government only paid them allowances
for one month. The inoculation programme started in February and to date over
700 000 Zimbabweans have been vaccinated.
Zimbabwe Nurses Association (Zina) president Enock Dongo
told NewsDay that nurses felt hard done by government.
“Nurses are working day-in and day-out at several
vaccination centres, but no one is being paid.
Promises for the allowances were made, but no one was paid. That is why
you see the rampant corruption by nurses who are now selling vaccination
certificates everyday. It is unfair labour practice by our government,
especially when it promised to do so. Government should honour its promise,”
Dongo said.
He said health workers throughout the country were
struggling to feed their families. Health deputy minister John Mangwiro refused
to comment on the issue.
“I think you have to check with the salaries department.
They are responsible for that. At the moment, I am busy to look for that
information for you,” Magwiro said.
Health experts said government should prioritise nurses.
Community Working Group on Health executive director Itai
Rusike said: “We need to value and
appreciate our frontline health workers who are playing an important role in
the vaccine roll-out programme. They
should be guaranteed of job security, be properly remunerated with high regard
for their health and safety.
“The Finance minster Mthuli Ncube is always talking about a
budget surplus why not use that money to pay COVID-19 allowances to nurses?“ Medical
and Dental Private Practitioners of Zimbabwe Association president Johannes
Marisa said: “We need to make sure that we keep our staff motivated. I don’t
think the government has no capacity to pay.
It only needs a heart and goodwill to pay.” Newsday
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