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Diana Nherera Herald Reporter
Striking Government hospital doctors are engaged in negotiations with the Health Services Board and the Ministry of Health and Child Care in the hope of finding a solution to the current impasse.

The doctors, who have been on strike for the past week, downed tools over poor pay and what they have described as deplorable working conditions.

The doctors were last week offered $10 per hour as their new on-call allowance from the current 35 cents and they would also be receiving a newly introduced risk allowance. But they have vowed to only return to work when they receive a written commitment from Government.

Over 300 doctors from Government hospitals around the country downed tools last Monday demanding an upward review of their salaries from $282 to $1 200 a month.

They also want an increase in their housing allowance from the current $250 to $350 and a facility to purchase cars duty free.

Patients have been stranded with council clinics and private clinics being the only options.

Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals were only attending to emergencies owing to the shortage of manpower with Harare Central Hospital also experiencing the same.

Only doctors at Chitungwiza Central Hospital are reporting for duty and defied calls to go on strike for fear of downgrading its recent ISO certification.

Harare Central Hospital clinical director Mr George Vera said the situation at the hospital has been difficult since the beginning of the strike.

“Senior staff including nurses are covering for the striking doctors.

“They are treating patients including pregnant women,” said Mr Vera .

He added that Harare Central Hospital has doctors from the uniformed forces who are still under training who are also attending to patients.

The Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors’ Association (ZHDA) media and publicity officer Mr Francis Rwodzi said the striking doctors were ready to return to work as soon as the Ministry of Health and Child Care committed to paper what it was offering the doctors.