Doctors in Zimbabwe continue to strike and they have once again rejected offers towards improving their on-call allowances and working conditions.
The doctors say if they go back to work, it will be to watch patients suffer and die, because they don’t have drugs and equipment to do their jobs.
The government said it had made its final offer to the doctors and that those who have been absent from work for more than 14 days will not be paid.
But the strike which has crippled major public hospitals for three weeks continues.
Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association Dr Mxolisi Ngwenya says: “This is the 23rd doctors strike day, because of a number of issues not addressed, we raised them in January. In hospitals there are no drugs, no equipment, no gloves, no essential equipment and no oxygen.”
“In 2014, members were promised on-call allowance from 1.50 dollar to 10 dollars per hour but nothing has been done, so we are saying we are not going back over empty promises, let them write it down, and only then we will go back to work.”
