BY BOITUMELO MAKHURANE
Dr Peter Magombeyi has stepped down from his position as president of the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association (ZHDA) with immediate effect.
The junior doctor who was abducted last year in September by unknown assailants is well-known for leading the doctors’ strike that has carried on for months, calling for better salaries and equipment in public hospitals.
In his resignation letter to ZHDA, copied to the Minister of Health and Child Care, the Permanent Secretary, Health Service Board Chairman and its Executive Board, Magombeyi stated he was resigning for personal reasons.
“I regret to inform you that am resigning from my position here immediately as the President for ZHDA for personal reasons. I do not intend to inconvenience you with this news, and I hope you will accept my most sincere apologies,” he wrote in his letter.
However, Magombeyi’s resignation has brought debate, with some accusing him of using ZHDA for his personal gain and that he was leaving it after gaining traction.
Others have defended his move, claiming one can do so much to confront the government and should pass on the baton.
Magombeyi marked January 24, 2020, as his last day as the president of the association.
The junior doctor also admitted his move was “unexpected,” but said he would be happy to assist ZDHA in looking for a replacement process to help alleviate the transition.
He added that working for the doctors association was empowering and would always remember the struggle doctors fought for.
“I cannot thank all the doctors enough for the opportunities the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association (ZHDA) has provided me. Working with you has been incredibly instrumental in my personal growth and I will never forget the struggle we go through every day, trying to come up with a functional health delivery system that benefits all Zimbabweans and our welfare as doctors,” Magombeyi stated.
As a parting shot, the junior doctor said he “loved my job” and would “look back on my time here with wonderful memories. May you all stay blessed!”
When Magombeyi was abducted in September 2019, calls for his release were widespread, while some authorities alleged his abduction was stage-managed.
He was found five days later at Nyabira, about 33km from Harare, whose discharge was followed by drama, as authorities tried to stop him from seeking medical attention outside the country
