Vice President Constantino Chiwenga Friday last week met with medical practitioners and promised them that he will address their grievances.
Chiwenga who doubles as the Minister of Health and Child Care (MoHCC), held a question and answer session at the launch of the National Surgical Obstetrics and Anaesthesia Strategy 2022-2025 in Victoria Falls.
They spoke about brain drain, salaries, houses and cars as well as the condition of service. ZBC News cites Chiwenga as saying:
We have now started to discuss issues and I think a lot of progress has been achieved and more is going to come.
Kudzai Kanyepi, a surgeon said the government should work on retaining medical practitioners it would have educated. Said Kanyepa:
Many of us want to come home, we are second-class citizens everywhere else except at home. There is only one home. We want to come home, but we want a soft landing. Many of us left and had to sell everything we had to fund our training, so, now we are starting again from nothing.
In response, Chiwenga said those who would want to invest should approach relevant authorities for assistance.
He also said the government had granted duty-free importation of vehicles and medical equipment adding:
Just bring your papers to the Secretary because we want you to make this nation healthier.
Responding to Wilfred Muteweye, a surgeon who had pleaded with the minister on behalf of junior doctors to be provided with free accommodation, Chiwenga said that was the government’s plan.