Nurses at Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo staged a flash demonstration on Monday morning, temporarily disrupting operations as they demanded improved pay and working conditions.
The protest saw nurses marching within the hospital grounds, singing and waving placards to highlight their grievances.
When a CITE news crew visited the flagship public health facility, some nurses were seen in groups, while others waited in their cars in the parking lot.
Acting Chief Medical Officer Professor Solwayo Ngwenya declined to comment on the demonstration.
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The action comes amid rising tension between nurses and the government over stalled salary negotiations and deteriorating conditions in the health sector.
Last week nurses at major hospitals across the country, including Sally Mugabe Central Hospital, staged demonstrations and issued ultimatums over poor pay and working conditions.
The flash protest precedes a planned three-day nationwide strike by the Zimbabwe Nurses Association (ZINA), scheduled to run from 20 to 22 April 2026, according to a formal notice to the Health Service Commission.
In its letter, ZINA president Enock Dongo said nurses had been left with no option after months of engagement failed to yield significant improvements in basic salaries, cost-of-living adjustments or protections against rising transport costs.
“Despite engagements following a 26 March 2026 notice, the latest pay cycle beginning 13 April 2026 showed that promised increases were only done as a token, leaving basic salaries unacceptably low relative to the cost of living and professional demands,” the letter read.
The association also criticised government for failing to introduce a meaningful cost-of-living adjustment that would cushion nurses from the impact of persistent inflation and spiralling fuel prices, which have pushed up commuting costs for health workers.
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