THE Zambia Medical Association (ZMA) has advised resident doctors and the government to go back to the negotiating table and iron out their differences in a manner that preserves the dignity and societal standing of the health sector.
Resident doctors have been grumbling over poor working conditions, and their association president Brian Sampa even declared a Go-Slow action leading the Health Professions Council of Zambia (HPCZ) to suspend his practicing licence.
But the Zambia Medical Association feels the go-slow is “mistimed”.
ZMA secretary general Masiku Phiri, in a statement today, said the Association had been following closely the ongoing labour dispute between resident doctors in the civil service and their employer, the government of the Republic of Zambia (GRZ).
Dr Phiri stated that the ZMA is on record of saying that while it believes the grievances of the resident doctors are genuine and frustratingly underserved, any industrial action currently when the sector is preparing for the looming third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic would be mistimed.
The ZMA is also calling on the HPCZ to immediately rescind its decision to suspend the license of Dr Sampa, the Resident Doctors Association of Zambia (RDAZ) president.
Dr Phiri said such would be the first step towards reconciling the parties involved in the dispute.
“In this regard, ZMA has continued to mediate between the representatives of the aggrieved resident doctors, the Resident Doctors Association of Zambia (RDAZ) and GRZ, by providing counsel to both sides in the hope of reaching an amicable and timely solution on the round table,” Dr Phiri said.
“ZMA has learnt with alarm and concern events of the past 48 hours where RDAZ has declared a go-slow and concurrently.”
He added that as an overseeing mother body of the medical profession, the ZMA is committed to seeing all concerned parties to exercise maximum restraint and refrain from setting themselves on a collision course.
“We urge both parties, resident doctors and the government to go back to the negotiating table and iron out their differences in a manner that preserves the dignity and societal standing of the health sector,” said Dr Phiri.
©Kalemba May 30, 2021