NURSES at Sally Mugabe Central Hospital, formerly Harare Central Hospital, have given management at the country’s second-largest referral medical institution a two-week ultimatum to address their grievances as threatened to escalate the matter to government.
The ultimatum came after protests by nurses on Monday over deteriorating working conditions amid fears they could spread to all the country’s major hospitals.
The government committed to address the concerns raised by the nursing staff during the demonstration.
Zimbabwe Nurses Association secretary-general Belcred Matsiwe yesterday confirmed the ultimatum to NewsDay.
“We sat down with hospital management yesterday [Monday]. We are working as normal, but there is a two-week ultimatum to address our concerns.
“After they fail to meet our requirements we are going to escalate our challenges to the next level. We always love our workbut have some basic things we need to do our work,” he said.
Matsiwe also confirmed that authorities promised to rectify several issues in two weeks among them accommodation for nurses and a bus to ferry staff while resources will be availed to make work easy for nurses.
Meanwhile, in a statement yesterday Health and Child Care ministry spokesperson Donald Mujiri said they were addressing the issues raised by nurses.
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“The Ministry of Health and Child Care is addressing concerns raised by Sally Mugabe Central Hospital’s nursing staff, following a demonstration on March 17, 2025.
“The government is prioritising the improvement of the hospital’s water supply, with plans to repair the 2,5-mega-litre tank as soon as possible to increase reservoir capacity and advocate for a more consistent water supply from the Harare City Council.
“Additionally, progress is being made with the hospital’s elevator system, with three elevators currently under repair and plans are in place to make one operational within the next few days.”
Mujiri said efforts were also underway to address issues to do with the maternity and kitchen elevators, adding that transportation for staff had been enhanced, after the hospital received a second bus from head office to ensure smooth operations.
“The hospital is also working to improve staff accommodation and cafeteria services in line with government policy. In response to concerns over shortage of medical supplies, steps are being taken to address these issues promptly,” he said.
Mujiri said government remained committed to providing high-quality healthcare and a supportive environment for both patients and staff.
Operations at the hospital ground to a halt following protests by nurses over deteriorating working conditions.The nurses at the country’s second-largest referral hospital also flagged lack of water, insufficient medication and inadequate transport.
Zimbabwean hospitals are facing a severe shortage of medicine, forcing patients and healthcare workers to endure unimaginable hardships.
The demonstration, which began early in the morning, saw dozens of nurses holding placards with messages such as ‘No Water, No Power, No Care!’ and ‘Our Patients Deserve Better’.
Nurses have, for a long time, been engaging in strikes to push for better working conditions.
The poor working conditions have contributed to the massive brain drain in the health sector.
