MINISTER of Health, Kapembwa Simbao, has appealed to nurses and other health workers to go back to work because their continued strike after the signing of a new collective agreement is illegal.

And Government spokesman, Ronnie Shikapwasha has said that striking nurses at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) in Lusaka should go back to work or resign if they do not want the 15 per cent salary increment offered.

In a statement issued on Friday night, Mr Simbao said it is not fair to continue the strike even after the conclusion of negotiations and the signing of a new collective agreement between Government and the workers’ unions.

“I decided to wait for the conclusion of the negotiations. And now the negotiations have been concluded, the unions have signed the labour agreements as best as they could, but still I see a continuation of strikes in some areas. We think this is not fair. It is not fair to the health fraternity, to the Government, to the union leaders and to the Zambian people,” the minister said.

Mr Simbao pointed out the workers took industrial action when negotiations were going on, without a dispute being declared between the negotiating parties.
He said workers should uphold the laws because everyone would suffer if lawlessness becomes the norm.

Mr Simbao said the norm of lawlessness could start with a small number of people defying Government, while many people sit by the sidelines cheering and encouraging them.

“Everything becomes impossible to manage, and some people think Government is to blame, but they forget how it all started, now that lawlessness becomes the law. I want to tell the nurses that staying away from work is not what we want to encourage,” Mr Simbao said.

He expressed surprise at the action by the nurses because, “on my own and on behalf of the Government, we are very nurse-friendly.”

Mr Simbao said that Government decided to address issues affecting nurses and other health workers such as accommodation, transport and uniforms for nurses even before they went on strike.

He said he has allocated K4.8billion for nurses’ uniforms and all health workers in the country and that these uniforms will be bought this year after the ministry is funded.[quote]

Mr Simbao said the ministry will this year construct houses for nurses in Lusaka, Ndola, Kitwe, Mansa, Chipata and Solwezi.

Thirty-two one-bedroom flats will be constructed at Highland House in Lusaka, 16 one-bedroom flats each at Ndola Central Hospital, Arthur Davison Hospital and Kitwe Central Hospital.

Mansa, Chipata and Solwezi general hospitals will have 16 one-bedroom flats each for nurses.
Mr Simbao said the Ministry of Health will also purchase 30-seater minibuses to augment the existing fleet for nurses.

He has forwarded this proposal to the Ministry of Finance and National Planning.
The minister said issues of leave pay and long service awards were also addressed during the negotiations.

Mr Simbao said he has also asked his permanent secretary to carry out a study of nurses’ remunerations and conditions of service in Lesotho, Swaziland, South Africa, Namibia and Botswana, so that Zambia could properly position itself in the region.

“I did all this even before the strike and I am fully committed to this effort. I am therefore appealing to nurses who still see it fit to continue with the strike that you are not doing it in good faith. You must return to work and serve the Zambian people,” Mr Simbao said.

And Lieutenant-General Shikapwasha said in an interview with the Sunday Mail that if nurses have the passion for patients, they should end the strike.

He accused some opposition leaders of encouraging nurses to continue with the strike.

“This is very bad, especially that nurses have failed to reason and stand on the word of the opposition. So if nurses feel they will not go back to work, they can resign now,” he said.

Gen. Shikapwasha said Government has spoken and it is up to the striking nurses to decide whether to go back to work or resign.

A check by the Sunday Mail at UTH yesterday revealed that the nurses have continued their strike and the wards are being manned by doctors and student nurses. Most of the wards were closed.

Meanwhile, police have continued their vigil at the hospital to curb theft of property and to prevent striking nurses from loitering within the premises.
In Ndola, NKWETO MFULA reports that nurses have continued their strike despite their union leaders telling them to return to work.

Student nurses were yesterday assisting senior members of staff and expatriate doctors at Ndola Central Hospital (NCH) and Arthur Davison Children’s Hospital (ADCH).

Some retirees have been called to beef up staff at the two institutions.

Most of patients at NCH who were not in a critical condition have been discharged from the hospital.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“Sing praises to the Lord, Who dwells in Zion! Declare among the peoples His doings!”
(Psalm 9:11, AMP)

TODAY’S WORD from Joel and Victoria

God wants to give you something to talk about! He wants to overwhelm you in such a way that everywhere you go, you talk about what God is doing in your life. You tell your friends, your neighbors, your children, your grandchildren about the great things God has done for you!

Are you looking for His goodness? Are you talking about what He’s already done in your life? God never intended for us to just drag through life defeated and discouraged. We aren’t supposed to go around with a negative attitude saying, “I never get any good breaks. I never get promoted. My back has been hurting for three years.” No, we are supposed to declare His Word and watch it come to pass!

I encourage you to choose an attitude of faith today. Start talking about His goodness and be a living testimony of all God has done. If you’ll start living breakthrough–minded, God will show up and give you something to talk about!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father God, thank You for Your goodness and grace. Thank You for blessing me with life today. I choose to have a thankful attitude and to declare Your goodness everywhere I go. Amen.

Joel Osteen ministries

The Triangle of Hope is based on the Malaysian economic development model.

Mr. Banda said the implementation will be done in the next few months because all the necessary regulations have already been put in place for the exercise.

He was speaking at State House, when he met students and pupils who had attended the Commonwealth Conference in Malaysia recently.

Mr. Banda said government has already set aside 2000 hectares of land in Lusaka South for the programme.

He also said Zambia has a lot to learn from Malaysia’s development successes.

Mr. Banda said Malaysia is one of the case studies of a once poor nation that has now become one of the fastest developing countries in the world.

He explained that Malaysia has developed because of the hard work and commitment of its citizens.

President Banda is optimistic that Zambia can also develop if it’s citizens work hard.

[ZNBC]

Former First Lady Maureen Mwanawasa says the prerogative to hire and fire senior government officials lies in the Republican President.

Commenting on the reappointment of Former Communications and Transport Minister Dora Siliya as Education Minister, Mrs Mwanawasa said it was not up to the Zambian People to decide who should be appointed as Minister but the President.

Mrs. Mwanawasa in an Interview with ZANIS in Kitwe today that the most important thing was for Ms Siliya to humble herself and seek the forgiveness of the Zambian people.

She said Ms Siliya must stand up after falling and continue delivering to the Zambian people with honour and dignity.

“For me what is important when you fall is to stand up and continue to contribute to economic development.” said the former First Lady.

Sections of society had received the reappointment of Ms siliya as education Minister with mixed feelings .

Ms. Siliya was cleared of any wrong doing by the High Court following her decision to seek judicial review against the Dennis Chirwa tribunal that found her guilty of having breached the republican constitution.[quote]

This was over the awarding of a Contract to RP Capitals valuate Zambia Telecommunications Company Assets.

Mrs. Mwanawasa has challenged Government to remunerate the striking Zambian workers for what they are worth.

Mrs. Mwanawasa said the cries of the Zambian public workers were genuine hence the need for Government to hear to their cries.

Mrs Mwanawasa said their was need for a broad based policy that would provide for economic sustainable salary packages for the public workers.

She said the Nurses were not refusing to go back to work but what they wanted was some one to give them hope and assurances that their problems would be resolved as their case was an emergency.

“The civil servant wants dialogue with government, they want government to listen and provide answers to their plight” said Maureen.

The former first lady added that Government must look outside box and the profits being made by semi parastatal Companies to help cushion the challenges being faced by the economy at the moment.

She also called for the reorganisation of the ministry of finance to make it more relevant to the current economic needs being faced by the Country.

She observed that time has come for Government to create more wealth for its citizens currently wallowing in high poverty through adding value to the abundant natural resources.

Mrs. Mwanawasa has advised Politicians to concentrate on addressing the high Poverty levels in the Country instead of politicking over 2011 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections.

She said the Zambian people at the moment want to hear about solutions to the high poverty levels instead of who should stand or not in the 2011 elections.

The former First Lady was in Kitwe to grace the graduation ceremony of 11 women at the Baptist Church in Kwacha Township.

ZANIS