via Govt has declared war with us: Doctors 26/12/2014
DOCTORS have described the government decision to cut their December salaries as a “declaration of war” and a “shock Christmas present” saying they were already “consulting to determine the way forward.”
The doctors had hoped that the government would not go ahead with the threat after they approached the High Court challenging the decision to punish them for taking part in the October strike.
But the doctors were shocked to receive December payslips reflecting the deductions.
This followed a directive from Dr Gerald Gwinji, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Health, to the Public Service Commission to deduct amounts ranging from $100-$300 for any doctor who took part in the strike.
Junior doctors downed their tools for more than two weeks in October demanding a salary hike from the current $280 per month and an upward review of their on call allowances.
The Zimbabwe Doctors Hospital Association (ZDHA) said they were shocked by government`s double standards as they received their December salaries with deductions ruining their festive season.
A statement said: “The move to deduct the doctor’s salaries came as a huge surprise after the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association (ZHDA) had reached a painful compromise with the Ministry of Health and Child Care and the Health Services Board to get the doctors back to work while negotiations continue.”
ZHDA said the move by government was a direct violation of labour rights and a total disregard of the country’s constitution and sabotage of social services delivery in the country.
“ZHDA is also waiting patiently for the courts to rule on this unjust punishment to doctors as we have since launched an urgent High Court application to reverse the decision.”
COMMENTS
My thoughts are with the Doctors
Doctors must realise that this government cares nothing for you at all. After all they go overseas for treatment. The lousy sods.
Hear Hear Nyoni no care in the world by the geriatric and those who are supposed to lead ,the ordinary people are already suffering
I am a surgeon at a central hospital and was a victim of juniors walking out on patients for almost 3 weeks. During the period l and colleagues had to do both my work and the juniors’.We lost some citizens who may otherwise have lived. I hear the howls of those who lost money but there obviously cant be redress for those who lost much more, that is life! For the ignorant who are wont to repeat the nonsense that juniors work more than consultants here is my advice:all specialists were once juniors. Specialists are highly trained doctors whose efficiency truncates the time to various therapeutic processes. They train the blind juniors most of whom fall by the wayside anyway and do not ever breathe the rarefied air that surgeons breathe. No work no pay.