The government last week inadvertently dismissed doctors who were on maternity leave and some who were training outside the country even though they did not take part in the ongoing strike.
This was revealed by Senior Hospital Doctors Association (SHDA) president Shingai Nyaguse in a statement. He said:
Junior and middle-level doctors have been dismissed from work for not being able to report for duty due to incapacitation.
Some on maternity leave and some who are training outside the country have also been served with letters accusing them of absenteeism.
Hundreds of doctors were served with dismissal letters for failing to report for duty without leave, with 500 more expected to be sacked when the disciplinary hearings are concluded.
The Minister of Health and Child Care, Obadiah Moyo, defended the dismissals claiming that the doctors, who have cited incapacitation, were in breach of the law.