Doctor's strike continues in Tanzania

Medical doctors in Tanzania downed tools yesterday, pressing the government to sack the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Dr Haji Mponda and his deputy Dr Lucy Nkya. The doctors argued that they were only to hold talks with the government after the two have been shown the way.



The Minister for Health, Dr Haji Mponda

Many doctors have heed the call by their leaders to down tools and the situation in hospitals is fast deteriorating. Many people could be seen transferring their relatives from government hospital to unknown destinations.

The government earlier this week defended the two senior health officials saying it wasn't their fault that the situation in hospitals was pathetic. In fact, the government argued that the doctors' concerns were there long before the two were appointed to their posts.

This comes exactly a month after doctors suspended their three-week strike last month on the 9^th of February giving the government one month to look into their grievances.

The strike had caused untold suffering to many ordinary Tanzanians who could not afford the services of private doctors.

Deputy Minister for Health, Dr Lucy Nkya.