By Kuda Pembere
The Zimbabwe Nurses Association (ZINA) has announced a three-day nationwide strike following a wave of protests by nurses over low salaries and deteriorating working conditions.
The demonstrations began at Sally Mugabe Central Hospital before spreading to Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, Chitungwiza Central Hospital and Bindura Provincial Hospital. A recent protest at Marondera Provincial Hospital was foiled, prompting ZINA to intervene and secure the release of 11 arrested nurses.
In a letter to the Health Service Commission (HSC), ZINA president Enock Dongo said the strike will run from April 15 to April 17, on the eve of Zimbabwe’s ndependence Day.
“We have been instructed by our members to advise your office that all nurses under your employ are going to embark in a nationwide strike which strike shall commence from the 15th of April 2026 to the 17th of April 2026,” Dongo said.
He said the commission has until April 14 to address the nurses’ grievances.
“Accordingly, kindly take this communication as a notice given to you in terms of section 16A(2)(c) of the Health Service Act.
“We note that the notice period given in the legislation is 48 hours, however, in the spirit of amicable resolution of disputes, we have considered that we should give the employer a longer notice period so as to address the grievances of the nurses before the next pay cycle, failure of which the nurses will have no choice but to carry out the strike,” he said.
“Accordingly, this notice shall run until the 14th of April 2026.”
Dongo said the grievances include low basic salaries and poor pension prospects, absence of a cost-of-living adjustment, rising transport costs, unexplained salary deductions and lack of payslips, concerns over job evaluation and grading, outdated health-specific allowances, high accommodation costs, shift arrangements, staff shortages and an ineffective locum system, as well as concerns over intimidation and labour rights.
“In order to avert the strike, we respectfully request your office to take immediate action to address the following aspects by the 14th of April 2026.
“Review and adjust the basic salary structure, introduce a meaningful cost of living adjustment, review and update all health-specific allowances, address transport challenges affecting attendance, ensure transparency in payroll systems, including provision of payslips, rectify job grading anomalies, grant nurses autonomy in shift scheduling, reform and strengthen the locum system to effectively address staff shortages, introduce non-monetary incentives, including allocation of residential stands and housing support schemes, promote constructive dialogue and safeguard labour rights,” he said.
He added that the nurses are open to suspending the strike if their demands are met.
While the strike will affect nurses across all 10 provinces, including those at central, provincial and district hospitals as well as clinics and health centres, staff in intensive and critical care units have been advised not to abandon their duties.
