1 June 2007
Prevailing Health Sector Emergency

The Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR) deplores the failure by the Government of Zimbabwe to take urgent measures to address the prevailing emergency in the public health sector.

Inadequate remuneration and unacceptable working conditions for health workers across the country have resulted in a crisis and left the country’s major referral hospitals unable to function. Inadequately remunerated health workers across the country can no longer afford to go work and junior doctors in Harare have formally commenced strike action as at 1 June 2007.

Unavailability of health services and loss of life as a result of strike action by Zimbabwean health workers or their inability to avail themselves for work remains the responsibility of the Government upon whom the obligation falls to ensure that the right of Zimbabweans to available and accessible health care is respected, protected and fulfilled.

With the health sector is in a near state of collapse, ZADHR calls upon the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare in liaison with other relevant Government departments to attend to the situation and work to resolve the health worker emergency without delay.