Resolutions by the Health Apex Council

As the Health Apex Council, we met on 17 September 2019 and the following was resolved:

1. Dr Magombeyi, the president of the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association, was abducted on the 14th of September 2019.
2. In light of prior threatening messages he and other Health Apex Council members had been receiving in the past month, it would appear that this abduction is linked to his position as a union leader.
3. The general sentiment amongst health workers is that the abduction is not only an attack against Dr Magombeyi’s person but, at a greater scale, is an attack against unionism relating to the interests of health workers.
4. As a result of such public sentiment, there has been a spontaneous decision by health workers to withdraw their services until Dr Magombeyi has been returned safely.
5. The Health Apex Council therefore acknowledges the position taken by all health workers, and supports the decision to withdraw labour until Dr Magombeyi has been returned safely.
6. Additionally, the Health Apex Council also advises all interested parties that we are suspending all Health Services Bipartite Negotiating Panel meetings until our security is guaranteed for us to continue to lobby for health worker interests so as to avoid what happened and is currently happening to Dr Magombeyi from happening to anyone else.
7. The Health Apex Council is an apolitical labour body whose interests are solely for the improvement of the welfare of health workers.

Source: Health Apex Council