The founder and majority owner of Econet Wireless Zimbabwe A Zimbabwean billionaire Strive Masiyiwa has stepped in to end the country’s crippling doctors’ strike by offering those who return to work a monthly allowance of at least £230 and their taxi fares.
The strike over pay and poor conditions lasted more than four months, paralysing the country’s healthcare sector.
In a statement Tuesday, the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors’ Association (ZHDA) said it had accepted the offer.
“In light of the recent development, the ZHDA wants to extend its gratitude to the Higherlife Foundation for extending its offer once again to all government doctors,” the association said. “The ZHDA is encouraging its entire membership to go and apply for the training fellowship before the stipulated deadline.”
The ZHDA represents about 600 members working at 1,600 government-run hospitals and clinics nationwide and “more and more doctors are now expected to return to work,”
Since 2017, Zimbabwe has been led by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, following the overthrow of his long-serving predecessor Robert Mugabe by the military.
The government said it can’t afford to raise salaries. Zimbabwe has seen high unemployment, food shortages and electric blackouts.
