Thu, 15 Dec 2016 10:12:07 +0000
THE Resident Doctors Association of Zambia (RDAZ) has allayed fears that there will be a sitting protest as earlier announced and that the decision was made by the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) branch of the association, which did not represent the position of the association.
Speaking at a press briefing yesterday, RDAZ president Francis Mupeta said that there would be no sitting protest by any doctor across the country because the earlier decision did not have the blessing of the national executive.
He explained that the earlier decision for a sitting protest was made by the UTH branch without consulting the national executive.
Dr Mupeta assured nation that the decision was binding on all other branches of the association and that no branch would overrun the national position.
He however said that the national executive of the association had received the concerns raised by the doctors and that they stood with them in ensuring that they were met.
Dr Mupeta disclosed that Government had agreed to meet with the association to dialogue on the way forward with regards to the concerns raised by the doctors.
“We must say that there will be no sitting protest by any doctor. We have different branches within the association but the earlier decision was made by the UTH branch. But concerns from all the branches are valid and Government has agreed to engage with us” he said.
And Dr Mupeta said that the concerns that were raised by the doctors were valid and that they were affecting their daily work.
He said the he would engage with Government and other relevant stakeholders and that he was optimistic that their concerns would be addressed.
Dr Mupeta disclosed that some of the concerns that the doctors had raised included placement on the payroll which he said the current payroll system was inefficient.
He said that out of the 200 doctors who were currently waiting to be included on the payroll, only 30 were included by the close of the system last week.
Dr Mupeta also said that the doctors were among many things demanding their arrears which Government was owing them.
