The Zambia Medical Association (ZMA) has expressed gratitude with government pronouncement to sanction public health workers who will be found working in private institutions.
Speaking in an interview with the Lusaka Star, Zambia Medical Association General Secretary Francis Mupeta said it was quiet unfortunate that health workers already in employment were seeking to get extra money at the expense of national resources.
Mr Mupeta said the pronouncement was to be taken seriously because it was considered a retraction of their conditions of service.
“Most health workers spend most of their time in private hospitals and less hours in public health institutions,” he said.
He further added that the behavior depicted by the private institutions was a sign that they lacked proper labor force.
Meanwhile Lusaka resident Longwe Mundia said the government’s decision was for the interest of the citizens because health personnels were exposing traits of negligence when it came to public health institutions.
She said the inferiority that patients felt was as a result of the negative attitude shown by some nurses and doctors.
Ms. Mundia added that the ban would help reduce incompetence, negligence and the hostility that most of them portrayed.
She furthered commended government for giving a listening ear to the needs of the people.
Ms. Mundia said government had recognized the fact that the interest of the peoples comes first in that nurses and doctors ought to serve the public first as their number one obligation.