Hospitals urged to prioritise staff welfare
GOVERNMENT has challenged health service boards at the country’s major hospitals to value the welfare of their staff.
Health and Child Care Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa (pictured) made the remarks last Friday when he presided over the inauguration of Mutare Provincial Hospital’s six-member board.
The new board members are Dr Jensch Mutede, Ms Elizabeth Chadambuka, Ms Peace Tsitsi Mvududu, Mr Maxwell Jombe, Mr Hillary Kufakunesu and Mr Cantilal Rajah.
Minister Parirenyatwa will appoint the seventh board member later.
He said board members had to document their action plans in line with Government’s 100-day programme and share their vision with staff members to ensure progress.
“But this should start with the board working on the conditions of service for their staff,” said Minister Parirenyatwa.
“Workers obviously give their all when hospitals take care of their basic needs such as accommodation and transport, just to name a few.
“Boards are not elected just to sit and organise meetings that do not produce results. Boards must be effective and remain part and parcel of the system in both good or bad times and must not abandon workers when there are problems.”
Minister Parirenyatwa challenged the board members to find ways of raising staff morale by taking time to establish how the workers would be faring in accessing basic needs such as accommodation and transport to work.
“You must read the Health Services Act to get guidance on the decisions that you make or the actions that you take,” he said.
“Your job is to create conditions that lure the best personnel to your hospital. You may hire people professionally and also fire them when you have the right reasons to do so.
“Everything you do must not be inspired by your big egos, spite or selfish motives, but the good of the hospital to which you are custodians.”
Minister Parirenyatwa urged the board members to meet regularly as a team and not have factions.
Chairperson of the Health Services Board Dr Lovemore Mbengeranwa said his board was preoccupied with stopping the brain drain that continued to affect the health delivery system throughout the country.
“We can only do so by improving conditions of service for our staff,” he said. “They need good accommodation, better remuneration and the proper equipment for their different tasks.”
Dr Mbengeranwa said boards could influence car dealers in their localities to avail affordable cars for their staff, give staff incentives and allow them to improve their education and professional skills for better results.