The Zimbabwe Nurse Association (Zina) is calling on the government to step in urgently to resolve crises facing the health sector, including low pay, shortages, and shortages of medical equipment and sundries.
Last month in March, nurses at Saleemgabe Hospital held a demonstration to protest worsening working conditions, including small wages, electricity ineligibility and running water, reflecting widespread complaints about poor standards.
In a statement, Gina’s President, Enok Dongo, said the health sector was in crisis as nurses live under the Poverty Datum Line (PDL).
“Nurse salaries currently amount to just $240 and an additional Zig amount, which is about $150.
“The situation prevented nurses from sending their children to school, buying clothes, feeding them, or even ensuring transport for work.
The association urged the government to urgently consider nurse salaries to at least $840, a figure that reflects the exchange rates before October 2018.
“We are calling on the government to review and adjust nurse salaries to a minimum of USD 840, a figure that reflects the value before October 2018, when the exchange rate was 1:1.
“These corrections are important because they endure chronic low payments and harsh living conditions,” Dongo said.
He also says that it showed a significant shortage of hospital medical equipment and resources, leading to public responsibility directed at nurses due to inadequate patient care.
“And more, working conditions for public health agencies are miserable, with most hospital buildings becoming dilapidated and no longer suited to purpose.
“There is a serious shortage of medical resources, equipment and essential medicines. Without these tools, nurses are unfairly criticized by the public for delays and inefficiencies,” Dongo added.
“They are improvised and overburdened, long lines are extended, slow service delivery and increased patient suffering, which increases nurses’ exposure to infection and extreme fatigue,” Dongo said.
He also said, “The chronic shortage of staff is making the situation worse, and even in wards with nurse-to-patient ratios as high as 1:20 or 1:30, this is unruly, putting both patient care and nurse welfare at risk.
“We are requesting that the government urgently recruit more staff and consider reintroducing Locum arrangements, and additional shifts can be made for fair compensation as nurses are on leave or out.”
Zina’s Futhermore raises concerns about the delay in issuing academic qualifications to nurses upon completion of training, affecting more than 4,000 nurses who are unable to secure employment as a result.
“We are also deeply concerned about violations of nurses’ rights, and we are noted that nurses who have completed mandatory bonds have been denied diplomas and verification letters.
“This is a blatant infringement of the right to select an employer and requires all eligible nurses to make these documents public immediately, with more than 4,000 nurses currently being affected by this fraud.
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“Another pressing issue is the government’s unfair rental fee for nurses staying in government accommodation. Nurses are charged US$120 per month for a basic room, and to my surprise, these deductions are made from the US dollar component of their salary, not the Zig portion,” Dongo said.
The government is also urged to align with international labor practices.
“Finally, we call for coordination with international labor practices for shift work. Nurses should often spend long and irregular hours and have the right to reduce weekly business days to reduce the risk of fatigue and occupational exposure to infection.
