The government has dismissed all the striking nurses with immediate effect.
In a statement, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga said “the Government has decided in the interest of the patients and of saving lives, to discharge all striking nurses.”
The government is claiming that the striking nurses’ lack of remorse is politically motivated and thus as going beyond concerns of conditions of service and worker welfare.
The government has also authorised the board to recall retired nursing staff into the service.
Zimbabwean nurses are protesting the lack of stationery, drugs and other medical basics at hospitals, a situation they argue made their job difficult.
The strike action follows a month long job boycott by government doctors in March.
“We’ve therefore embarked on a strike that will only end when the Government has done what we want.
“Nurses are frustrated by promises that the Government is making and not fulfilling,” Zina’s secretary general Enock Dongo said.
The country’s health delivery sector suffers a myriad of challenges such as shortages of drugs after years of under funding from Treasury.
Finance minister, Patrick Chinamasa allocated $408 million to the health sector in his 2018 budget presentation despite Health minister, Dvaid Parirenyatwa saying he required over a $1 billion.