By Phyllis Mbanje
In what could be a major bungling on the part of the Health Services Board (HSB), some striking medical doctors were paid their salaries despite being absent from duty since last month while many did not get the salaries.
Yesterday, doctors at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals confronted management over the non-payment of their salaries, amid indications that doctors, mostly from Harare Central Hospital, had been paid despite being away from duty like the rest.
Yesterday was their official pay date.
Sources said they were told that they had not been reporting for duty and were, therefore, not getting paid.
“They said reason for non-payment was because we had not been reporting for duty,” one source said.
However, Parirenyatwa Hospital spokesperson Linos Dhire said he was not in a position to comment on the matter.
Contacted for comment, HSB chairman Paulinus Sikhosana said he needed more time to respond.
“I will need to verify this information. (It’s) not possible to do so today,” he said.
The sources also said HSB might have been sending incorrect records of doctors who allegedly came to work.
“It is public knowledge that doctors were incapacitated, so where did these ones who were paid come from?” another source asked rhetorically.
The stand-off between the medical personnel entered day 45 yesterday, with no solution in sight.
Patients continue to be turned away, while some, who were admitted, have since discharged themselves.
Health minister Obadiah Moyo has pleaded with the doctors to go back to work and maintained that his door was open for further negotiations.
