Those issuing threats are inciting us to continue striking – nurses

Those issuing threats are inciting us to continue striking – nurses
Written by Masuzyo Chakwe, Edwin Mbulo and Mutuna Chanda
Tuesday, June 23, 2009 5:12:05 PM

HEALTH workers in Lusaka yesterday said they were being incited to continue with the strike by people that were threatening them over their just cause. And health workers on the Copperbelt Province and in Livingstone have resolved to continue with the strike until the government meets their demands.

The health workers who were dressed in black yesterday assembled at the usual spot near the casualty ward at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH). One of the nurses urged New Generation Party president Humphrey Siulapwa to find other means of seeking a job from President Rupiah Banda rather than insulting them.

The nurses said if Siulapwa was looking for a position in the MMD, he should apply to President Banda.

"He is a nobody and he can't be insulting nurses. He is the one who is making the situation worse because we were even thinking of going back to work but because of his statement, he has made the situation worse. It is the government that is letting patients down, not us," the nurse said.

Siulapwa on Sunday asked nurses to return to work, saying they were responsible for the deaths being recorded in the country due to lack of proper medical care.

Another nurse said UPND president Hakainde Hichilema was innocent and had at no time incited the health workers to strike.

The nurse said those issuing threats were the ones inciting the health workers.

"These people, when they are sick, they don't come to UTH, they go abroad. We want to work; we have patients and relatives who are sick," the nurse said.

Another nurse said they expected health minister Kapembwa Simbao instead of labour minister Austin Liato to address them.

The nurse said according to protocol, since the permanent secretary had addressed them, Simbao was supposed to be the next in line.

The nurse said the health workers would still not resume work if they were not met halfway.

Another health worker said the health workers were disappointed that the strike had taken long without a solution in sight.

"Let them fire us so that we can join the private sector where our services will be utilised. The President has never said a single word. He has just kept quiet, as if things are well," the nurse said.

The health workers also accused UTH management of not telling the truth on the strike.

One of the health workers said UTH managing director Dr Peter Mwaba in one of their meetings had said he would call the police to disperse the health workers from the hospital premises.

"Then they change the statement and say that the police that were there were brought to guard the wards. They should stop lying. He [Dr Mwaba] even said he had brought professional nurses to help out. So does he mean that we are not professional?" the health worker who declined to be named asked.

They said the improved conditions of service they were fighting for would benefit all the health workers in the country.

And in Livingstone, nurses who camped at Livingstone Central Hospital, said they would not even agree to be addressed by their union leaders even if they travelled to the tourist capital.

The nurses said they would continue with the strike.

"We have resolved to be reporting here but we shall just be sitting outside until the government gives us what we need. We are just asking what is due to us because we are taking care of people's lives while our wellbeing is not considered by government," said the nurses.

A check at some schools in the tourist capital revealed a similar situation, with teachers who had chosen to report back for work but sat outside the classes.

And the health workers' strike in Kitwe and Ndola has continued.

A check in some clinics in Kitwe found only senior health workers and student nurses attending to patients.

At Ndeke Clinic, patients were seen on benches waiting to be attended to by senior personnel while junior health workers stayed away.

At Chimwemwe clinic, student nurses were seen helping out the senior nurses who were on hand attending to patients.

At Kitwe Central Hospital, senior health personnel assisted by student nurses were on hand attending to patients.

And in an interview, Ndola District Civil Servants and Allied Workers Union of Zambia (CSAWUZ) chairperson Joy Beene said health workers were still on strike.

Beene, who is also spokesperson for the unions representing health workers in the district, said the labour leaders in the district were brainstorming over today's meeting with Liato.

He said the union leaders were not consulted over the meeting and only heard it on Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) television.

And speaking after health workers union leaders met yesterday to strategise over Liato's visit to Ndola tomorrow, Beene said the government leader would be wasting his time if he planned to intimidate workers.

"Let him come," Beene said. "If he will come to intimidate us, then he will waste his time. Where we have reached, we just want solutions."

He also denounced Siulapwa for telling health workers to get back to work.

"That young man should stop commenting on the strike," said Beene. "These small parties don't understand leadership... He doesn't understand leadership and governance. There's no way he can be going to UTH [University Teaching Hospital] and saying those rubbish things. He's just wasting his time."

Liato meets health workers in Kitwe today and in Ndola tomorrow.

Health workers, who have been on strike for over a month now, have rejected the 15 per cent salary increment that their unions agreed with the government and are demanding salary increments of K1.5 million across the board and housing allowances of at least K800,000 among other improvements in conditions of service.