ORGANIZATIONS representing healthcare workers in Zimbabwe have lampooned the recently approved Health Services Act, which they believe will only worsen the situation for ordinary health seeking citizens as it will trigger fresh exodus of skilled health personnel into lucrative markets.
By Michael Gwarisa
The new law will see health workers who call for industrial action being liable to a fine not exceeding level 4 or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months or to both such fine and imprisonment.
In an interview with HealthTimes, Zimbabwe Nurses Association (ZINA) Secretary General, Mr Enoch Dongo said the new law was a recipe for disaster.
This is an undemocratic law which has been done without any consultation. An undemocratic law such as this one will unfortunately affect and punish the ordinary people of Zimbabwe who rely on public health institutions for services,” said Mr Dongo.
“Imagine getting into a health institution only to meet a demotivated healthcare worker whose rights to speak out have been trampled on. They can do anything and this will affect the ones seeking services.”
He added that the new law will push experienced nurses, midwives and other healthcare workers into foreign markets where their work is appreciated. He added that the Health Services Act needs to be revisited and reworked on before the worst happens.
“Look at what’s happening in the education sector, teachers are being forced to report for duty everyday despite the ongoing grievances. However, even after reporting for duty, they are not putting in their 100% percent effort. Parents are now being forced to part with more money paying for extra lessons even after having paid school fees. That is exactly what will happen in the healthcare sector.
“This new law was done in a haphazard way and was rushed. It is one sided and was probably crafted using emotions rather than the real situation on the ground. The people who crafted this law lied to the leadership and gave them false hope. However, the effects of this law will be felt if nothing is done to make some amendments to it soon. Government and the President of Zimbabwe must set up a team to re-look this piece of legislation.”
He said laws should not be put in place to punish people but to improve the services for the ordinary citizens. He also said they would soon meet the head of state and the ministry of health to ensure there is dialogue around the Act so as to create a conducive working environment for the health workers.
Dr Norman Matara, the Secretary General for the Zimbabwe Association for Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR) said this was a bad a law and it only worsens an already hopeless health services situation.
“As an Association, we are actually saddened that this draconian Law has actually been passed into law. This is a bill that was widely rejected by all health professionals, it was rejected by civilians during the Parliamentary Portfolio committee on health during consultations. The Parliamentary portfolio on health actually recommended that the bill be redrafted to include the views of all stakeholders and it is quite sad to learn that the bill is now law,” said Dr Matara.
He added that the law will only take the health sector two steps backwards and will not be able to address the various challenges that are currently being faced in the health sector.
“This law will only make things worse. We already have a challenge of medical professionals leaving the country and if you further frustrate them with such kinds of laws, it will only accelerate the brain drain with health professionals leaving. We also think the law will not be able to address the challenges such as lack of sundries, lack of equipment, and shortage of health workers in hospitals among other issues.”
Meanwhile, Dr Shingai Nyaguse, Spokesperson of the Senior Hospital Doctors Association (SHDA) said “...the creation of the Health Services Commission is a step in the right direction to addressing the perennial challenges in the health sector. We hope qualified and dedicated commissioners will be appointed so it can function as intended. However we are disappointed that workers right to industrial action is now punishable by jail time. This will undermine workers negotiations and may negatively impact overall morale.”
According to the Health Services Act, a member of the Health Service is under an obligation, whilst employed by the Commission—(a) to provide the professional skill, expertise, care and service expected of him or her as a member of the profession to which he or she belongs; (b) during any collective job action, to provide the skill, expertise, care and service to patients in a medical emergency or needing critical or intensive care.
