Dr Fortune Nyamande
They noted the great work that the executive has done over the last 12 months which culminated in doctors receiving increased allowances in 2015 as well as the resolute nature in which they have been able to defend the interest of doctors.
In his acceptance speech on behalf of the executive, Dr Nyamande expressed gratitude in the confidence the medical practitioners have on his leadership and that of the entire executive and vowed to bring back the prestige of the medical profession through fighting to improve their working conditions and compete with the rest of region. He attacked the Ministry of Health and Child Care led by Dr David Parirenyatwa as inept and that it lacks the vision and direction to achieve the country’s targets as set in the ZIMASSET blueprint as well as the 10 Point Plan.
He also poured cold water on the Health Services Board (HSB) as a bloated body created to serve individual interests and stated that the doctors were better off under the Public Service Commission than the HSB. Dr Nyamande also said that doctors have suffered for a long time and that it was now time to say no to slavery and said the Association will make sure that no doctor will subsidize the government’s failure to attract and retain medical doctors through working extra unpaid hours.
He said it is now time doctors get fair remuneration if the country entertains any hopes of meeting targets set in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The AGM also castigated the rot at PSMAS which it said has made life difficult for doctors who no longer have a reliable medical insurance and whose life is now difficult because of the workload caused by the non-functional PSMAS facility.
The AGM also adopted a new constitution which will streamline the associations operations and help strengthen its systems anchored on democracy, equality and good corporate governance. The new constitution also strengthened the structures of the ZHDA by creating positions for committee members from different government hospitals.
The ZHDA has for a long time been embroiled in a nasty battle with the Ministry of Health and the HSB, two government bodies that have been reluctant to address the working conditions of doctors working in government hospitals and has instead showed unparalleled arrogance to address these issues. The Association has since been expressing its displeasure over a lot of unfulfilled promises and the lackadaisical approach in which the ministry has been treating its issues.
Below are the key resolutions of the AGM:
1. That the ministry of Health and Child Care must resign over his failure to address issues affecting doctors and as well as the recent PSMAS saga. Doctors will mobilise for a nationwide petition that shall be submitted to parliament to put pressure on Dr Parirenyatwa and his cabal.
2. Government doctors will refuse to work outside the normal on-call schedules and any other work outside that must be paid, reiterating that they will not subsidize the government’s failure to attract and retain medical doctors.
3. To immediately engage government to avail non-cash incentives such as the duty free vehicles and land that will make it easier for doctors to carry out their duties.
INSERTED BY ZHDA SPOKESPERSON
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