2020 Budget to Cater for Doctors Plight

Taku Chihambakwe

With the strike by medical doctors having entered day 67 on   Thursday, leaving many Zimbabweans who depend on public hospitals for treatment stranded, many are looking forward to a quick solution to the problem.

Finance and Economic Development Minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube says his 2020 budget will address the issue of salaries which has caused the impasse between Government and the striking doctors.

“We are making every effort to ensure that the salaries are decent. It is never easy. We are facing high inflation due to the reforms that we have undertaken. We will do everything we can to ensure that the salaries are honourable,” said Professor Ncube after a tour of Baines Intercare Medical Centre in the capital.

“But the rewards are not just monetary. For instance, civil servants can now import vehicles duty free and also have transport subsidies.

“As I speak, we shall be handing over buses in some parts of the country tomorrow. So we are doing quite a lot to support our civil servants be it in monetary and non monetary terms including the doctors,” he added.

Health and Child Care Minister, Dr Obadiah Moyo said that treasury is also assisting to equip public health institutions with medicines.

“We are in the process of procuring medicines and equipment which are some of the issues that doctors and nurses have been complaining about,” Dr Moyo said.