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Blessings Chidakwa Municipal Correspondent
HARARE City Council has been hit by an exodus of health personnel, including senior nurses who are opting for greener pastures or the private sector. This comes as a major blow to the public health sector considering that Harare City Council runs two infectious centres, Wilkins and Beatrice Road Infectious Disease centres, which are among the country’s referral and isolation centres for Covid-19 patients.

Although the officials were yet to ascertain the reason for the mass exodus, the move could be linked to the outbreak of Covid-19, as health workers fear being infected.

Last week alone, eight nurses resigned from the City Health Department.

Council’s acting human resources manager Retired Major Matthew Marara confirmed the exodus.

“Between April 3 and 10, we lost six registered general nurses alongside one registered general nurse locum and one environmental health technician,” he said.

“We are not sure if they resigned for fear of Covid-19 or they got better offers elsewhere.”

One of the nurses who resigned told The Herald that the working conditions at council institutions were                             deplorable.

“It’s a matter of life and death, hence l could not continue risking my life,” said the nurse. “As of now l am joining the private sector.”

Harare City Council grade nine nurses notch 1 earn a basic salary of $1 955 that goes up to $2 649 upon the inclusion of hygienic allowances.

Second notch nurses earn a basic salary of $2 065, which goes up to $2 787 with the hygienic allowance.

They also get work-related allowances, such as shift and infectious allowances.

They are also getting $150 per day as risk allowance.