Parirenyatwa says negotiations with striking doctors now delicate- full statement to Parliament

7.    Suspension of contracts for interns. When a doctor finishes housemanship after two years, before they start that internship they are supposed to sign a contract so there was a lot of negotiation around that. Some saying no there should not be, others saying there should be a contract so that we know what is expected of you. So, it was discussed at the bipartite negotiating panel. Everyone is expected to sign a contract of employment on commencement of their internship. This is mandatory and it is standard practice.

8.    Implementation of doctors’ vehicle scheme. Doctors and other health professionals have argued and we have argued that doctors do need vehicles and reliable transport. They should not be jumping into kombis when they are going for emergencies. So, a vehicle loan scheme for all health workers has been established as a revolving fund for $10 million and this is immediately available. It will be implemented in terms of the framework designed by the bipartite negotiating panel and approved by the Board. This was communicated to ZIDA in the last BNP meeting.

9.    Upward review of all call allowances to a minimum of $1 500. On call allowance was reviewed from 1st April, 2017 in terms of the collective bargaining agreement of the health service bipartite negotiating panel. On call allowances reviewed by 50% with effect from the 1st April, 2018. What has effectively happened is that from 1st April, 2018 whatever call allowances the doctors are getting now will be put up by 20%. This I must say the doctors are clearly not agreeing to this.

10.                       Post basic allowance. This is mostly for nurses. The Government has reintroduced a post-basic allowance. This is because when a nurse finishes their training becoming a registered general nurse, some go on to do post-graduate training and this was not being recognised. So, the Government has reintroduced a post-basic allowance for nursing staff who are acquire approved additional qualifications up to a maximum of two qualifications. If you have one post basic and acquire another post-basic qualification then you will be given an allowance. This will be in fact from the 1st April, 2018.

11.                       Nurse managers allowances. Nurse manager allowances have been reintroduced with effect from the 1st April, 2018 for nurse managers in recognition of their added responsibilities. Among the nurses, there are others who are managers who manage other nurses like the provincial nursing officer, principal nursing director and so, they are going to be given because they were now been superseded by nurses who were below them. This is a way of trying to equalize that. This is an outstanding issue which should be tabled and agreed upon.

Thereafter, after this bipartite agreement and negotiations were held quietly, we issued a press statement, the Government then offered what they can offer.  The Government made a public offer to the doctors who were on strike.  In that offer specifically, this was what was offered by Government that all those who are doing on call allowance; it should be reviewed by 50%.  If you are getting a call allowance which is very small, your 50% obviously is small as well.  This is a bone of contention for doctors.

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