Doctor’s Strike in Zimbabwe Leaves Hospitals Empty

The ongoing doctor’s strike in Zimbabwe has left several hospitals understaffed, and numerous patients unattended.

Local doctors have been on strike since last week, demanding higher pay by the government and a better working environment.

With the country currently in severe economic distress, the government has struggled to pay civil servants such as doctors, police and others on time, if at all.

The doctors are demanding that their hourly rate be increased to US$10 per hour, rather than the measly US$1.20 they currently receive. They are also demanding that the government guarantees jobs for junior doctors and that they be allowed to import cars duty-free.
The strike has left hospitals virtually unattended, with patients having to endure long waiting hours over the weekend.

President of the Hospital Doctors’ Association, Edgar Munatsi, said that while the lack of doctors is less than ideal , he understands that something has to be done to get the government’s attention.

“There are practically no doctors at most hospitals…It’s a sad situation but unfortunately there has been little movement on the part of the government to try to address our grievances,” he told reporters.

At the United Bulawayo and Mpilo hospitals in Bulawayo, only senior doctors were on duty and were able to help patients, which, of course, caused a severe backlog.

A member of staff at the United Bulawayo hospital said that the hospital’s junior doctors have been on strike since Wednesday, which has left the hospital with only senior doctors.

“The junior doctors have been on strike since Wednesday and this puts huge pressure on the available senior doctors who are fewer”.

The government has not commented on the strike, and health officials have not addressed questions by the media regarding the doctors’ demands.