Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association (ZHDA), which represents Junior and Middle-level doctors, has said that its members will continue with the industrial action despite a court ruling ordering them to go back to work within 48 hours.
Speaking to the News Day after the Labour Court’s judgment, ZHDAacting secretary-general Tawanda Zvakada said that the doctors were willing to go back to work only if their grievances were addressed. He said:
The ruling does not capacitate us in any way. Members will still not go to work because they are not able to. We value our patients, but this is beyond our control. We also have families that rely on us for survival.
His remarks were echoed by senior doctors who said the ruling was insignificant as it did not provide solutions such as transport needed by workers.
The doctors have been on strike over the deterioration of their salaries and poor working conditions since the 3rd of September this year and nurses have also joined the strike.
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