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The Nurses and Midwives in Government Association (NMGA) on Friday applauded the Government for valuing them by reviewing their salaries and other conditions of service.

NMGA founder and chairperson Pisirai Ndarukwa told the media that health workers appreciated the government moves to cushion them from the high cost of living.

Earlier this month, the Government awarded civil servants a 20 percent salary increment backdated to January and US$100 hard cash with effect from next month.

The workers were already getting a US$75 Covid-19 allowance in hard currency.

Other perks awarded include housing, transport and school-fees assistance for three children for teachers.

“As professional associations, we have taken note of the recent adjustments to the Cost of Living Allowances made by the government in an endeavour to cushion nurses, midwives, all healthcare workers and the rest of the civil service.

‘‘We appreciate these efforts the government of Zimbabwe is making towards its workforce while also preserving the steady growth of the economy,” said Ndarukwa.

“We have, however, expressed to our Government the need for further cushioning of the workforce, providing a living wage, and ensuring availability of transport at all times when the workforce presents itself to and from work.

‘‘Provision of decent accommodation that has a long lasting effect on the workforce (housing stands and provision of loans to buy or build),” he added.

He said in future nurses would negotiate with the government without downing tools in observance of the International Pledge of Nurses and Midwives.

“Our position is that patients are to be treated with due respect at all times irrespective of the negotiations going on.

‘‘They should pin their hope for better healthcare service on us. We thus, shall engage in mutual dialogue to redress grievances and discussions around conditions of services,” he said.

“We thus, through this statement, distance ourselves from any efforts aimed at denying the patients services due to them as enshrined in the Constitution of Zimbabwe.”

Recently some teachers in the country went on strike to press the government to pay civil servants their full salaries in United States dollars, a demand which the employer said was not practicable as it did not have the capacity to generate the required foreign currency. — New Ziana