Dr Parirenyatwa

Dr Parirenyatwa

Leonard Ncube Victoria Falls Reporter
THE Ministry of Health and Child Care has launched a probe into the alleged abuse of funds meant for nurses by senior officials in the ministry and further payments have since been stopped, the Minister, Dr David Parirenyatwa, said yesterday.

High ranking officials in the health sector reportedly draw a combined $100,000 in monthly allowances for on-call and night duty which they don’t undertake, while nurses who do the actual work get a paltry $3 per month each.

Nurses, through the Zimbabwe Nurses Association, have been refusing to work during the night since Monday last week demanding that anomalies in the payment of allowances for on-call and night duty be corrected.

Those allegedly taking the bulk of the allowances were directors in the Ministry of Health and Child Care, provincial medical directors and other senior health officials who do not perform night duties.

The money, which is administered and disbursed by the Health Services Board, comes from the $1,5 million provided by the government in this year’s national budget.

Speaking on the side-lines of the ongoing Aids Watch Africa (AWA) consultative experts meeting of the Commission of the African Union in Victoria Falls, Dr Parirenyatwa said investigations were being carried out in relation to allegations of the $100,000 monthly allowances which he said were unfair

“We’ve already rectified that. It’s true that there were people who should not be getting those allowances but that has been stopped because that’s the money which is being discussed,” he said.

He said nurses from Harare Central Hospital, Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital and Chitungwiza Central Hospital were trying to influence others to go on strike despite “intense negotiations between Zina (Zimbabwe Nurses Association) and the Health Services Board.”

Dr Parirenyatwa urged Zina to negotiate in good faith with the government.

“We don’t want deaths. We’re losing children and the elderly because of such mischief. If there are grievances, let them be in good faith. I’ve ordered the Health Services Board to meet these three hospitals today after reading a story in the paper,” said the minister.

“It’s not true that the three hospitals are the worst affected, the truth is that they’re the only ones on strike and I’ve said the board should include Parirenyatwa Central Hospital because it’s a referral hospital so that we find a way forward. They’re meeting this afternoon and will brief me when I get to Harare.”

“We’re very dismayed that there’s very intense negotiations between the Health Services Board and the nurses association yet they continue to go on strike. They now want to influence the whole country to engage in the strike.”

“We’re aware that Zina includes key members from Chitungwiza and Harare Central hospitals and Chinhoyi General who are influencing others. These are Mafa (Simangaliso who’s Zina secretary general), Smith (Regina who is Zina president) and Chipfurutse (Mugove, organising secretary). The strike is not throughout the country but they want to intimidate others which is being irresponsible,” he said.

Dr Parirenyatwa opened the AWA yesterday and it ends today.

The conference seeks to update member states on the progress made so far on implementation of the AU Roadmap on shared responsibility and global solidarity for HIV and Aids, TB and Malaria.

You Might Also Like

Comments