Zim strike hits home for official

Zimbabwe's Independence Day celebrations were marred yesterday by the recent firing of striking nurses by the government. But the importance of a vibrant health-services sector was laid bare for all to see when a senior government official‚ Bulawayo metropolitan affairs minister Angeline Masuku‚ collapsed while reading President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Independence Day speech.

“Please‚ can somebody assist me. I am feeling dizzy‚” she said before collapsing.

Fortunately‚ senior nurses from the rank of sister-in-charge had remained at work and the minister was attended to.

Zimbabwe warned yesterday that strikes were threatening efforts to revive the economy after the ousting of Robert Mugabe.

On Tuesday, the government sacked the majority of 15 000 nurses who started industrial action this week shortly after doctors ended their month-long strike.

Public wages suck up more than 90% of government revenue in Zimbabwe.

Mnangagwa has vowed to tackle the country’s dire economic crisis under Mugabe that created mass unemployment, emigration and a severe shortage of bank notes.

“The government is working extra hard to recover and improve the economy,” George Charamba, Mnangagwa’s spokesman, said in the state-owned Herald newspaper.

“Unreasonable wage demands, or worse, obdurate industrial action, will hurt this recovery process.”

Teachers have threatened to strike next month over low salaries. Before firing striking nurses‚ the government already had a deficit of at least 8 000 nurses.

In 2011, the government began regulating the hiring and training of nurses to contain a ballooning wage bill.

In the latest strike by nurses – the second in two months – their concerns are about providing services‚ “with minimum resources and below-market packages”.
In February‚ government hospitals ran out of oxygen‚ forcing a major children’s hospital‚ Harare Children’s Hospital, to suspend normal services at a time when there was an outbreak of bronchiolitis.

In December‚ nurses at the United Bulawayo Hospitals demonstrated because there was a lack of drugs at a time when more than 80% of drugs were being provided by the donor community.

The government has said it would not rehire fired nurses‚ and would instead hire retired ones.

Those on leave have been recalled‚ and student nurses awaiting results will be absorbed into the system.

“You are requested to recruit nurses to cover up gaps created by the nurses who were summarily discharged,” hospital heads from the government said.

“In the interim‚ all members who are on holiday leave‚ annual leave and nights off are instructed to report for duty.”

But the Zimbabwe Nurses’ Association has since assured its members not to panic and the civil servants’ umbrella body‚ Apex Council‚ argued that the government’s decision is irrational and unconstitutional.

As things stand‚ the country’s vice-president‚ retired general Constantino Chiwenga‚ says nurses have become politicised.

“The government regards this lack of remorse as politically motivated‚” he said.

But some nurses do not care about politics. It is all about working in a conducive environment.

“I can easily go and work in Namibia for a better wage,” a nurse on strike said.

“Actually many of my colleagues have emigrated to countries such as Australia‚ the United Kingdom and Canada.”

Nurses earn a basic salary per month of $280 (R3 344) before allowances while the cost of living is pegged at $540 (R6 450) per family of five. – TimesLIVE, AFP