Stop assault on medical profession

The parading of doctors on national television as they profusely apologised to VicePresident Constantino Chiwenga for protesting against what they perceived to be unfair treatment by the University of Zimbabwe put into context the ongoing assault on the medical profession.

Authorities at the country’s oldest university suspended Masters degree programmes for medicine, obstetrics and gynaecology after doctors went on strike demanding better pay.

The suspension did not make any sense as the government only needed to address the genuine grievances the doctors had presented. Chiwenga’s intervention was also bizarre.

If he genuinely wanted to solve the problems in the medical sector, he could have held closed-door meetings with the doctors and proffered solutions instead of the charade in front of television cameras.

Chiwenga’s stunt once again exposed the government’s penchant to politicise issues that should never be dragged into the political terrain such as the industrial relations problems in the health sector.

Only a week ago, the government presented another strange solution to the perennial strikes by doctors.

The Health Services Board announced that it had approved the hiring of 407 junior doctors, but on condition that 230 of them join the army.

Once they join the army, the doctors would not be allowed to go on strike or be part of any collective bargaining.

The doctors would be forced to put up with the poor working conditions and low salaries. Already doctors are talking of leaving Zimbabwe to find jobs in countries that value the medical profession.

It is poor Zimbabweans that would be affected by the exodus as the people behind the decisions get their treatment in countries such as China, India and South Africa at the taxpayer’s expense.

Chiwenga’s ministry also recently introduced regulations that make it difficult for health professionals such as doctors and nurses to leave the country for greener pastures.

The government now requires health care workers to get official signatures on “certificates of good standing” — a reference to get work abroad.

It is a desperate attempt to stop the brain-drain caused by the government’s failure to provide a conducive working environment.

Again this will only make the medical profession less attractive to bright students, who will simply go to universities outside Zimbabwe.

Local universities will only attract those without any options and it is the country that stands to lose out.

Chiwenga needs to remove the political blinkers and begin to make decisions based on science when dealing with problems in the health sector.

Some of the decisions he is making will cause irreparable harm to the medical profession.