Professionals that include obstetrics and gynaecologists have withdrawn their services at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals with immediate effect after some of their colleagues tested positive for COVID-19, New Zimbabwe reports.
This was revealed by the doctors in a letter to the Hospital Management in which the doctors said their decision to withdraw their services was to protect their patients:
A considerable number of the SRMOS have tested positive for SARS-Covid-19 and a sizeable number SRMOS are displaying symptoms of Covid-19 and await to be tested. In the best interest of other health workers and patients, we have found it best that we self-isolate at home whilst Mbuya Nehanda Maternity Hospital is disinfected.
Those who tested positive will be in quarantine as per national guidelines. Those who are symptomatic will self-isolate until they are cleared. Providing service whilst symptomatic and without proper PPE puts patients and other health workers at risk of contracting the highly contagious pathogen.
We kindly implore your office that you organise that all patients that will be admitted in hospital be tested for Covid-19. Those who test positive will have to be managed in the Red Zone.
The specialists join other health workers who are on strike citing low wages and poor working conditions.
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