According to state-run media and a government spokeswoman, Zimbabwe has passed a law prohibiting health workers like nurses and physicians from going on protracted strikes and imposing penalties of up to six months in jail for rebellious employees or union leaders.
The clause, which President Emmerson Mnangagwa signed into law last week but made public on Wednesday, states that because health employees are regarded as an essential service, they may go on strike for up to three days.
Emergency services should continue to be provided by health professionals during a strike, government spokesman Nick Mangwana tweeted.
Other nations, such as Zambia and the neighbouring South Africa, restrict health workers’ ability to strike but apply milder sanctions instead, such as dismissals, work suspensions, or salary reductions.
Health workers’ frequent and protracted strikes have put a burden on Zimbabwe’s public health facilities for years; the country already has deteriorating infrastructure and a lack of medicine.
Public health personnel contend that their low pay—for many, roughly ZW 361,000 ($100) per month—and lack of essential tools make their tasks impossible. The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) estimates that the unemployment rate in the nation is 90%.
The country in Southern Africa, which formerly had some of the best public healthcare infrastructure and staff in the region, is currently dealing with a brain drain as nurses and medical professionals leave for better jobs elsewhere, primarily in the United Kingdom.
