Parirenyatwa Hospital wards deserted as nurses down tools, demand salary increment

Operations were severely disrupted at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals on Monday after nurses downed tools, abandoning wards and leaving patients stranded as they demanded an upward review of their salaries and allowances.

Business came to a near standstill at Zimbabwe’s largest referral hospital, with mostly student nurses on industrial attachment attending to patients in critical wards.

The protest comes just days after a similar job action by nurses at Sally Mugabe Central Hospital.

Nurses at Parirenyatwa refused to speak on record, citing fears of victimisation, but those who spoke anonymously painted a grim picture of their working conditions.

“I’m ashamed to mention that I’m a nurse because I don’t even afford to send my children to school or put a decent meal on the table,” said one nurse.

“Even security guards earn way better than us,” one nurse said.

The nurses said their grievances have been worsened by recent increases in fuel prices, which have driven up transport costs. They noted that their current transport allowance of ZiG500 roughly US$15 is no longer sufficient, with some spending up to US$6 daily on commuting alone.

“We are earning less than vendors on the streets, yet we are expected to save lives,” another nurse said, adding that the profession had been “stripped of all dignity.”

Among their demands are improved salaries, better night duty allowances and a review of other working conditions.

Health Service Commission Public Relations Officer Kudzayi Manyepa said the nurses’ concerns would be addressed, urging them to formally present their grievances.

“What we ask is for you to put your demands in writing so that we can attend to you,” she told the crowd, drawing insults from the aggrieved nurses.

However, a few selected nurses were later allowed into the offices which had been closed when the protests intensified for a dialogue with authorities.

By Monday afternoon, there had been no broader official resolution, while patients and their relatives continued to bear the brunt of the disruption, with some left unattended in overcrowded wards. _*NewZimbabwe*_