Volunteer doctors across Zambia are set to withdraw their services this Friday in protest of the government’s failure to fulfill its promise of recruiting them into formal positions.
Resident Doctors Association of Zambia (RDAZ) President, Dr. Paul Chibwe, clarified that this action is not a strike but a “cry for dignity.” In a statement, Dr. Chibwe explained that the decision is driven by the extreme strain on hundreds of volunteer doctors who have continued working under untenable conditions while waiting for promised employment.
He noted that earlier this year, following a nationwide service halt by unemployed health workers, the Ministry of Health assured stakeholders that the recruitment of doctors and other health personnel would be completed within 2025. This assurance was later reinforced by a Presidential Address, which restored hope among both the volunteer doctors and the communities they serve.
Acting in good faith, the volunteer doctors returned to their posts out of loyalty and a commitment to patient care, despite the unimproved conditions. However, with only 23 days remaining in the year, this commitment to recruitment has not been met with concrete action.
Dr. Chibwe stated that the government’s silence has caused significant emotional and professional distress to the doctors and jeopardizes patient care. He announced that, following extensive consultations, all volunteer doctors will down tools effective Friday, December 19, 2025.
He emphasized that this action is not against the nation but a plea for dignity, clarity, and fairness, asserting that no health system can sustainably rely on unpaid labor and that professionals cannot work indefinitely without security or recognition.
What they are proposing is not genuine volunteering but we are doing this as a way to help us blackmail the government.
The government promised to make them a priority, however, jobs will have to be given to the person who fit the criteria best.
Let’s be honest, if you have to resort to volunteering, it most likely means you are not really the best of the best.
Alternatively, instead of just waiting on the government why don’t some of them band together and become entrepreneurs