TREASURY has approved the unfreezing of health posts in Zimbabwe as part of Zimbabwe’s Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Response.
By Kuda Pembere
At a time when the Health Ministry alongside health workers’ unions and health Civil Society Organisations have been calling for the unfreezing of health posts, it took the overwhelming threat of COVID-19 to Zimbabweans lives for the Finance Ministry to accede.
“Treasury has also concurred to the freezing of over 4 000 health sector posts, and creation of an additional 200 medical posts with a view of scaling to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Finance Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube said in a statement.
According to Minister Ncube, government will provide social protection and cash transfers.
“Vulnerable groups in our society are the most exposed under this COVID-19 crisis. Accordingly, Treasuty has sat aside resources to cover one million vulnerable groups under the Cash Transfer programme and payment will commence immediately.
“Treasury will initially be availling an amoumt of ZWL$200 million per month under a Cash Transfer programme over the next three months and both the amount and duration of payments will be reviewed as necessary. The Social Welfare Department will use its usual mechanisms to identify the beneficiaries,” the Treasury overseer said.
With junior doctors and nurses complaining of not having risk insurance for their COVID-19 response, Treasury according to Prof Ncube is, “currently engaging the Health Service Board and Public Service Commission to urgently put into place comprehensive insurance cover for all Government employees whose nature of work involves direct interaction with COVID-19 patients in line with international best practice.”
