HARARE, Dec. 13 (Xinhua) -- The Zimbabwean government on Thursday met representatives of doctors and other health care workers in a bid to resolve their grievances and end a two-week strike by junior doctors at public hospitals.
The strike has paralyzed operations at government health institutions as the doctors demand better working conditions and improved supply of drugs and equipment.
Health minister Obadiah Moyo told journalists after the meeting that his ministry had decided to start by addressing "low hanging fruits" in dealing with the doctors' grievances while treasury works on other demands that require their attention such as adjustments in salaries.
As a result, the ministry had made arrangements for doctors to be availed with fuel for transport to work while government had also bought about 34 percent of the essential drugs for immediate distribution to government health institutions.
"We made arrangements with the ministry of energy and the central mechanical and engineering department and they have indicated that they will be able to support us with fuel.
"We even went to the extent of requesting for our doctors and critical health care workers to be given exemptions from being in fuel queues so that they can go and attend to the essential service and look after the patients," the minister said.
He said the country had started receiving medicines which should help ease the current drug shortages.
He encouraged the doctors to go back to work while government addresses their concerns.
Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association president Elias Muzoremba said the doctors would announce, most likely Thursday, the way forward after consulting with others.
