HARARE: There is tension in the capital as health workers launched a flash protest against poor working conditions and eroded salaries, leading to the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) deploying to control the angry medical frontline staff.
The strike comes just 24 hours after nurses yesterday received slashed down salaries at a time they expected an upward review as the local currency has been taking a continuous nosedive over the past several months.
Singing and dancing in front of the Health Services Board offices in Harare, the nurses demanded audience with their employer as they said they could no longer afford decent livelihoods owing to the prevailing economic situation against their diminishing earnings.
The strike comes at a time when the military has been deployed to Bulawayo and Kwekwe amidst rumours or an imminent coup and possible civil uprisings.
Following recent salary cuts, Zimbabwe civil servants are now on average taking home less than US$30 per month based on parallel market currency exchange rates.
Breaking news: Doctors & nurses strike at Pararenyatwa Hospital in Harare.
Watch video: We want salaries in USD pic.twitter.com/xQY2HdZiqN
— Community Podium TV (@communitypodium) June 17, 2020
Nurses & doctors at Sally Mugabe Hospital (formerly Harare Central Hospital) have joined their counterparts at Parirenyatwa Hospital in a strike that could have devastating consequences for an already incapacitated health sector. These are Zimbabwe's largest hospitals
— Brezh Malaba (@BrezhMalaba) March 25, 2020
The state of Harare as nurses say enough is enough pic.twitter.com/Sv9gRMEbyQ
— Pedzisai Ruhanya (@PedzisaiRuhanya) June 17, 2020
zim voice, zwnews
