News24
27 Mar 2020, 01:11 GMT+10
Doctors in Zimbabwe's public hospitals have gone on strike over lack of protective gear against the novel coronavirus, joining thousands of nurses who walked out of the wards this week, their association said Thursday.
"We have made a call for safety, to say whilst we are sorting out some things, for now let's... withdraw our services temporarily," Tapiwa Mungofa, treasurer of the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association (ZHDA), told reporters in Harare.
He said most of the doctors across the country's government hospitals were not at work.
Some 15 000 hospital nurses downed tools on Wednesday over a lack of protective gear and water shortages.
The health workers walkout, "locked up" Harare Central Hospital, one of the country's main referral hospitals for the poor and the working class.
"The nurses decided to go and stay safe at home," Mungofa said.
The southern African country's public health system has been in a state of near-collapse for years, but the lack of drugs and equipment has pushed the system to the brink during the coronavirus spread.
The government-owned daily, The Herald, on Thursday reported Zimbabwe had taken delivery of its share of personal protective equipment donated by Chinese billionaire Jack Ma.
Mungofa said doctors will resume duty "as soon as our safety as health care workers is guaranteed, we are ready to serve the Zimbabwean population, we are ready to fight this coronavirus".
Zimbabwe has recorded three infections and one death, since reporting its first case last Friday.
A 30-year-old broadcaster died on Monday, less than two days after he tested positive for Covid-19.
His family said the isolation facility where he died had neither the drugs nor a ventilator needed to treat his condition.
Get a daily dose of China National News news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to China National News.
More InformationNEW YORK CITY, New York: The company that makes Reynolds Wrap aluminum foil is facing a lawsuit for allegedly misleading consumers...
PONTEDERA, Italy: Italy's Piaggio, the maker of the iconic Vespa scooter, reported record-high core profit margins for 2024 despite...
NEW YORK, New York - U.S. stocks fell sharply at the open and stayed in the red for much of the day Friday, however as the day wore...
NEW YORK, New York - The U.S. dollar continued to come under pressure Friday with President Donald Trump's flip flops on trade tariffs,...
SEATTLE, Washington: Nordstrom delivered stronger-than-expected holiday-quarter sales and announced a leadership shakeup, with Chief...
MILAN, Italy: Prada CEO Andrea Guerra suggested this week that the Italian luxury brand is keeping its options open regarding potential...
MELBOURNE, Australia: An Australian warship rescued Lithuanian adventurer Aurimas Mockus this week after he became stranded in the...
SEOUL, South Korea: A U.S. aircraft carrier reached South Korea over the weekend, shortly after North Korea test-fired cruise missiles...
TOKYO, Japan: The number of babies born in Japan fell to a record low of 720,988 in 2024 for a ninth consecutive year, the health ministry...
(CN) - The Justice Department announced Wednesday indictments against a dozen Chinese nationals, claiming they worked to steal data...
Dubai [UAE], March 8 (ANI): 25 years after their first ICC title win following a win over India in the ICC Knockout 2000 final, New...
This photo taken on April 25, 2024 shows a new energy vehicle (NEV) produced by BYD, China's leading NEV manufacturer, at a plant of...