Health Minister, Dr Obadiah Moyo has said that the government will punish doctors who refused to return to work.
His remarks come after doctors who have been on industrial action over unsustainable remuneration for the past 51 days now have defied government directive and Labour court order to return to work. Moyo said:
As you are aware, we requested the doctors to come back to work. The Labour Court disposal order said Government should take disciplinary action against those not coming to work.
Government has taken a decision as recommended by the Health Service Board who are following that disposal order by the Labour Court, the disciplinary action will be done by HSB where doctors not coming to work are disciplined, the first thing is whoever is not coming to work will not be paid, secondly since they are not coming to work action related to those not coming to work will be taken. The HSB has all the statutes and they will follow them.
Doctors who are demanding salaries they used to get in 2018 have since rejected the government’s 100% salary increment offer which they say is insignificant considering the inflationary nature of the economy.
More: The Herald