Health minister ignores doctors strike

By Tererai Karimakwenda
04 January 2007

Despite confirmations by patients visiting Parirenyatwa Hospital in Harare that there are no junior doctors on duty, the health minister David Parirenyatwa is reported to have denied any knowledge of an ongoing strike. Our Harare correspondent Simon Muchemwa went to the government run facility on Wednesday and he too confirmed the absence of junior doctors in the wards. He said a small number of military personnel had been deployed to assist, but hoards of desperate patients lingered around as nurses worked frantically to try and comfort the most urgent cases. But Reuters News reports Parirenyatwa saying he knew nothing about the strike.
According to Muchemwa, the minister has appeared on state television on several occasions recently talking about funding for HIV and other issues. But he has not uttered a word about the critical situation being reported by health professionals and suffering patients. On Wednesday Dr. Douglas Gwatidzo, chairperson of the Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR), said patients referred to public hospitals were returning to private clinics complaining that no doctors were working at the state run facilities.
Muchemwa also said clinics run by local councils were operating as usual since they were not affected by the absence of junior doctors. It is patients who need more serious attention and more specialised treatment that are suffering as a result of the strike.
The industrial action by junior doctors has lasted 2 weeks without any progress while patients suffer. The doctors say they will not return until they get better wages and improved working conditions. And minister Parirenyatwa is reported to have said he will not negotiate until they do go back.
Despite numerous efforts we have not been able to contact the health ministry for any comments.