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Last Updated: Aug 27, 2008 - 11:10:09 AM |
Nurses at the main referral hospital in southern Zimbabwe advise his
mother, Jestina Moyo, 59, that she should take her son to a private
hospital, but she protests that she cannot afford the high consultation
fees charged by private doctors. The nurses then suggest that she buy
pain killers for him.
Mehluli, 35, is just one of thousands of Zimbabweans bearing the brunt
of a strike by government doctors, who downed tools last week to
protest against salaries that are quickly eroded by the official annual
inflation rate of 11.2 million percent.
"This is painful to watch my son waste away like this. The hospital
says the doctors are on strike, demanding high salaries, and there is
nothing I can do for my son, as I have no money to take him to a
private doctor," Jestina said, wiping the perspiration from her son's
face with a towel.
"So I just have to take him back home and buy painkillers as the nurses
have advised - I do not know what he is suffering from this time, and
we needed a doctor to diagnose what the problem is this time," she told
IRIN.
"All this is a reflection of the political system we have in the
country; everyone is on strike at any given time, and things will not
improve unless and until there is new leadership that will address the
doctors' concerns and those of other professionals in the country,"
Jestina said. "As it is, my son will die a painful death unless I find
money to take him to a private doctor."
State hospitals provide health services to the majority of Zimbabweans
but the country's economic meltdown has brought shortages of most
things, including basic foods, fuel and electricity.
The situation in the health sector has been compounded by acute staff
shortages of medical personnel, drugs and equipment; government
hospitals were barely functioning before the strike started.
Health for a few
Private doctors charge fees in foreign currency equivalents of between
about US$35 and US$50, far beyond the reach of most people:
unemployment is above 80 percent, and the salaries of those with jobs
often do not even cover monthly transport costs.
In Mpilo hospital's emergency and burn wards, nurses are struggling to
treat patients because there are few medicines or other resources. "We
are just giving them ... [painkillers] as these are the only drugs
available at the hospital. Since the strike started we have registered
deaths which doctors could have dealt with if they were not on strike,"
a nurse, who declined to be identified, told IRIN.
Tawanda Sibanda was turned away from the hospital after seeking
treatment for acute diarrhoea, and went to a traditional healer. "It is
cheaper to visit the traditional healers and under the circumstances
there is no choice, as private doctors are very expensive."
Zimbabwe's health workers have gone on strike several times in the past
few years to try and keep up with the rocketing cost of living. Medical
staff were awarded wage hikes ahead of the 29 March elections, but the
effects of hyperinflation have rapidly devalued their salaries again.
The chairman of the Zimbabwe Medical Doctors Association (ZMDA), Amon
Siveregi, reiterated to IRIN that his members would not return to work
until all their demands had been met.
"The situation countrywide is that all doctors at all the country's
referral hospitals are on strike, but we are negotiating with the
government on a new package," Siveregi said.
"At the moment I am not at liberty to disclose to you our demands
because of a confidentiality clause in our dealings that we signed with
our principals."
Source:Ocnus.net 2008
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