Junior doctors on strike in Harare and Bulawayo said Thursday that they are waiting for a government response to their grievances, conveyed through mediators.
Senior doctors consulting to the government in the dispute on Wednesday gave the permanent secretary of health proposals for mending hospital labor relations. The interns want better pay and working conditions, but mainly object to a new rule that they must work in a rural hospital for a year after their two -year internship.
Dr. Taurai Gwatikuda of the hospital doctors association said that the organization had not heard back from the senior hospital doctors mediating in the dispute.
Some interns blamed the minister of health for deepening problems in the sector. But the health spokesman for the opposition faction led by Morgan Tsvangirai said it was unfair to blame an individual when the public infrastructure as a whole is crumbling.
Dr. Henry Madzorere spoke with Carole Gombakomba of Studio 7 for Zimbabwe.
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