Chief Government Spokesperson Ronnie Shikapwasha has implored striking resident doctors at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) to leave politics out of the health sector and immediately resume work.
And Lieutenant General Shikapwasha has expressed sadness saying the doctors have breached the Industrial Act.
Lt-Gen. Shikapwasha, who is also Information and Broadcasting Services Minister, challenged the doctors to immediately resume work as Health Minister Kapembwa Simbao was addressing their matter.
Speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka today, Lt-Gen. Shikapwasha accused the doctors of having been sponsored by the opposition to discredit Government’s achievements scored in the Ministry of Health.
He reminded the health personnel to adhere to their calling of saving lives as opposed to being used as ‘conduits for political minions.
“My plea to the Doctors at UTH is that they should remove politics out of the health sector. The strike action is illegal and as Government we are saddened by the development,” he said.
Resident doctors at the largest health institution in the country, UTH have downed tool pressing for better conditions of service.
And Lt-Gen. Shikapwasha has lashed out at National Revolution Party leader Dr. Cosmo Mumba who is reportedly to have said that President Rupiah Banda and the entire Cabinet should resign on moral grounds because of what he said Government failure to run the country.
The Chief Government Spokesperson reminded Dr. Mumba to visit some of the developments Government had embarked on across the country in the health, education, tourism, mining and agriculture key sectors unlike speaking from what he termed as a ‘frustrated’ point of view.
“It is not true that Government has failed to address some of the contentious issues of political governance, economical and social issues but as Government, we are on track. It is surprising that Dr. Mumba has got no ears and eyes to see what government is delivering to the Zambian people.
ZANIS
Ronnie, you are a very wrong person to address this matter, pliz leave it to the health minister or else you will mess up. Which achievements has the gvt scored, when hospitals have no drugs not even panado?
This is the problem with our policians, instead of Ronnie looking at the real issues doctors have raised, he brings in politics.These are signs of failure. MMD has truly failed the Zambian people and should pack come 2011!!
Its unfortunately been the only way those doctors have ever got anything from govt. If you dont strike you never get anything.
# 1One Zmk was equall to One British pound,
Have you registered as a voter and do you have an alternative to MMD in the political arena or you are just one of us in the statistics of keyboard barkers obsessed with hallucinations? Maybe we should form our own barking losers’ party to deliver Zambia in 2011 with you as president and every barking loser here in the cabinet to challenge those ever on the ballot papers.
Just why do people like quoting panadol? Anyway, that aside, govt needs to address the situation with the urgency it deserves. No politics are involved.Award your docs some dignified pay and conditions of service.They have demonstrated their patience by waiting for 2 years since they presented their petitions with no results to date. The Hon Minister of Health can just ask his wife who is a doctor at UTH and she will brief him even at pillow talk time. Alternatively, let him call his suspended deputy minister who is a member of RDAZ and the guy will give him data. But why even go far when his own PS (Dr Mwaba) is a member of ZMA and immediate past managing director at UTH?Actually ZMA is said to be negotiating with govt so how can Hon. Simbao claim not to know what’s cutting at UTH?
… ” Speaking in an interview with ZANIS in Lusaka today, Lt-Gen. Shikapwasha accused the doctors of having been sponsored by the opposition to discredit Government’s achievements scored in the Ministry of Health “…..
…… Come on now Mr Shikapwasha , not this level of thinking , please !
As much as I think our governments have underperformed ,I want to know how much doctors want to be paid as civil servants. If they really want to be taking home 20M,then they should consider leaving the public sector,instead of striking and getting people killed in hospitals,what if the nurses who get 1.8, 5 times less than these doctors? I just think it’s wrong to try to get rich in some of these careers,go sell @#@ and make the money you feel you deserve. Academics never get people rich,ask mechanical engineers,they will share their frustrations,some of them studied accounts after realizing they would not make money as engineers…
As one of the striking doctors at UTH, it’s very disappointing to hear Govt through Shikaz claiming we have sponsored by the opposition to discredit his MMD govt. Let him just keep quiet if he has nothing to talk about cause these are remarks with the potential worsening the current situation. What else can we do when we are being evicted from our homes, our monies come 3 months late etc?
This story has been shunted away from the front page. I wonder he it has something to do with making Shikaz looking like an imbecile!