NURSES have complained of being denied access to loans because of poor salaries, saying without being paid in United States dollars, it will be difficult for them to remain in the country.
According to the Health Services Board, at least 4 000
health workers have left the country since 2021.
On Wednesday, health workers complained about their welfare
when they appeared before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Health and
Child Care.
“Our biggest issue is of salaries. Our salaries are pegged
in local currency and at the moment, we get $45 000 and this is not sufficient,”
Allan Nyamupinga, a representative of nurses at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals
told the committee.
Using the black market rate of about US$1: $2 700, this
means the nurses may be earning less than US$20.
However, they get United States dollar allowances like
other civil servants.
Nyamupinga said their local salary component must be raised
to reasonable levels.
“The figure is too little to cater for our needs. If you
check, we receive $7 000 as transport allowance. We also get uniform allowance
but the money cannot even buy one uniform,” Nyamupinga said.
“As nurses we are unable to get loans from the bank because
of the local currency salary component we earn. Our situation as nurses is very
dire and needs urgent intervention.”
Zimbabwe Nursing Association Harare provincial chairperson,
Lucas Sharara, said: “Can we go back to the 2018 salary as a starting point so
that we don’t leave the country.”
Sharara said the Nursing Council Board was also frustrating
health workers.
Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga, who doubles as Health
minister, has been accused of stifling dissent in the health sector over
welfare issues.
In 2018, Chiwenga made international headlines when he
fired all striking nurses.
He has now hinted at introducing a law tomake it illegal
for foreign nations to hire the country’s healthcare workers. Newsday
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