Resident Doctors give Govt 10 – day ultimatum

Sat, 17 Dec 2016 10:49:49 +0000

By VIOLET TEMBO

 RESIDENT Doctors Association of Zambia (RDA) in Ndola have defied the decision by their national executive and have given government ten days ultimatum to address their grievances, failure to which a sit-in protest would be effected.

According to a letter obtained by the Daily Nation in Ndola signed by Ndola RDA president Gaisie Kweka and the acting secretary general Justine Lukama, the doctors from Ndola Teaching Hospital and Arthur Davison Children’s Hospital resolved by voting to boycott their duties for a period of 14 days if their demands were not going to be met.

The doctors’ demands included settlement of all outstanding arrears, settling of junior resident medical officers’ allowances as stated in the condition of service as per collective agreement.

Dr. Kweka said that the members were also demanding for the 24 percent fuel allowances salary for scale ‘K’ Senior Resident Medical Officers (SRMO) and rectifying salary scale disparities and placement of newly employed doctors on payroll.

He said the decision taken by the association comes as a result of the Government’s failure to honor a collective agreement following a prolonged period of dialogue.