The Zimbabwe parliament's committee on health said Thursday that it is going to try to resolve a crippling strike by state hospital resident doctors now in its eighth week.
Committee chairman Blessing Chebundo said seven members of his committee agreed they must engage both the striking doctors and officials of the Ministry of Health. But sources said government officials warned the doctors not to engage members of the panel, whose head belongs to the opposition Movement for Democratic Change.
Junior and senior residents are demanding at least Z$5 million (US$1,000) a month, having turned down a government offer of up to Z$1 million dollars.
Chebundo, who represents Kwekwe for the MDC faction of Morgan Tsvangiria, told reporter Carole Gombakomba of VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe that his committee cannot stand by as conditions deteriorate in the public hospital system due to the government’s failure to do what is necessary to end the strike.
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