570 health workers were dismissed for going on illegal strikes in 2013

PARLIAMENT on Thursday heard that 570 medical personnel countrywide were dismissed for going on an illegal strike last year.
Minister of Health Joseph Kasonde said the health workers were dismissed for going against the employment procedure by engaging in the illegal strike.
Dr Kasonde said this in Parliament when he was responding to a question by Lukulu West member of Parliament Misheck Mutelo (UPND) who wanted to know how many medical personnel countrywide were dismissed for going on the illegal strike last year.
Mr Mutelo also wanted to know whether Government was not risking losing qualified personnel who were trained at great cost to other countries where their services may be required.
But Dr Kasonde said out of the dismissed medical personnel, 36 workers have since been reinstated and that 400 medical personnel have also re-applied and were waiting for a response from the Government.
“Some of the medical personnel who were dismissed have been allowed to re-apply and Government is actively considering re-engaging them,” he said.
He also said Government is working out effective interventions to ensure adequate provision of quality health services to the people of Zambia.
Dr Kasonde said Government was determined to employ adequate and experienced health personnel to improve the healthcare system in the country.
He further said Government has embarked on a programme to build health facilities countrywide to improve access to health services and he called for safeguards to stop vandalism and loss of equipment.
The minister said while Government has continued building more health facilities, there is still a shortage of skilled human resource to carter for the growing population.