More benefits on the way for health workers

Source: More benefits on the way for health workers | The Herald

VP Chiwenga

Freedom Mupanedemo

Midlands Bureau

THE Government wants to reward all health care and frontline workers for their perseverance in the fight against Covid-19, which has killed about 30 medical doctors and over 60 other frontline health workers in the line of duty, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga said yesterday.

Officially opening the first infectious diseases hospital for Kwekwe district, VP Chiwenga said Government was finalising negotiations to incentivise health care workers who have persevered in the face of Covid-19 since its outbreak last year.

“The other strategy, as the Government continues to fight the Covid-19 pandemic, was to incentivise the health workers which is an issue which has been discussed by Government and is being seriously looked into to improve the conditions of service,” he said.

“From accommodation, to transport allowances, to their salaries. We don’t want to talk much, but just wait and see because we want to remunerate our workers. They have stood fast even when we were on a stage we said the whole country can work at five percent capacity, the frontline health workers continued to go to work.

“Everything was shut down, but no single hospital was shut down. We wanted 100 percent or more attendance by all our health workers so they could provide medical assistance to the sick people.”

VP Chiwenga requested for a minute of silence from the delegates for the health care workers who died while in the line of duty.

He said 23 doctors, 30 nurses and 25 other health care workers succumbed to Covid-19 after they contracted the disease in the line of duty, adding that it was important to recognise their efforts. VP Chiwenga commended all Government departments for the collective efforts in the fight against the spread of Covid-19.

“For instance, the Minister of Local Government and Public Works, Cde July Moyo, is responsible for the mobilisation side of getting whatever assistance, be it in the form of money, medicines, PPE, food or whatever is needed in the fight against this pandemic,” he said.

“So, every Government ministry had a hand; it’s a whole Government programme. We must continue to fight until the end.”

VP Chiwenga said there was a marked decline in the number of new Covid-19 infections, but reiterated the need to remain vigilant since Covid-19 remained a major threat to economic development.

“I am glad to note that there has been a marked decline in both morbidity and mortality due to Covid-19,” he said.

“However, we should be cognisant of the fact that the pandemic remains a major public health concern, hence the need to strengthen all our preparedness and response strategies.”