This debate is now closed.
Should health workers ever go on strike?
Striking Zambian nurses have resumed work after threats by the government to sack them.The government has comitted to reviewing the nurse demands which included a pay increase.
Nurses were also demanding an monthly housing allowance of $250.
However, some may argue that medical personnel have a moral obligation to put the health of their patients first, no matter the circumstances.
Have you been adversely affected by health strikes? Should nurses ever abandon their patients and go on strike? If so, should they be sacked? Would you support striking health workers in your country? Are you a nurse or doctor who does not agree with the Zambian nurses' actions? If so, tell us why?
If you would like to join Africa Have Your Say to debate this topic LIVE on air on Tuesday 30 June at 1600 GMT, please include a telephone number. It will not be published. You can find us on Facebook at facebook.com/africahys. You can also send an SMS text message to +44 77 86 20 20 08.
Published:
Monday, 29 June, 2009, 13:04 GMT
14:04 UK
All comments as they come in
Added:
Tuesday, 30 June, 2009, 20:38 GMT
21:38 UK
Health Workers should never go on strike because the striking of health workers is a major disaster for the patients waiting to recover from their sick beds.
Mohammed Konneh, Charlotte, North carolina, USA
|
Added:
Tuesday, 30 June, 2009, 18:13 GMT
19:13 UK
The public doesn't realize the inhumane conditions some healthworkers are subject to.
The issue about healthworkers placing patients lives at risk through strike is rather one of the lives of healthworkers and their families in peril through insufficient income.
Healthworkers should also see their own strikes affect their income when the lives of people who work to generate the revenue the government pays them are affected. They should be allowed to strike, but theirs should be much milder.
Edem Apewokin, Accra, Ghana
|
Added:
Tuesday, 30 June, 2009, 17:21 GMT
18:21 UK
No, health workers should never go on strike, if their employers remember that they are humans with needs, who perform a very important role in the society...
Kingsley Ezenekwe, Lagos, Nigeria
|
Added:
Tuesday, 30 June, 2009, 17:13 GMT
18:13 UK
For so many Health Centers across Africa, the nurses are already on "working strke" when there are few doctors and no medications to treat patients. Recently, I bought surgery gloves and paid for diesel (for power in case of power failure) before a relative was operated in a government owned hospital in Nigeria. I will suppot a strike to improve the health care system in Africa and not a strike for more benefits, when patients are not getting services.
John Opara, Atlanta, USA
|
Added:
Tuesday, 30 June, 2009, 16:50 GMT
17:50 UK
Members of the public sector who are vital to the safety and security of a nation should not be allowed to strike. A nurse, police-officer or firefighter who strikes is effectively blackmailing the public. Though govt's with laws which prohibit striking may take advantage of the inability of worker's to take strong action, it's up to the public to protect their vital workers by showing their support. Ultimately, workers in these jobs must consider their responsibilities before taking their job.
Lindsay, Pittsburgh, PA
|
Added:
Tuesday, 30 June, 2009, 16:36 GMT
17:36 UK
It we all agree that their strike action can put all of us at risk then no. An so far, my answer tells me that will surely be the case, so no to doctors' strike.
Benjamin P. Tetteh
Accra
Benjamin Tetteh, Accra
|
Added:
Tuesday, 30 June, 2009, 16:35 GMT
17:35 UK
It is very sad to see patients dying at the eyes of our able leadership. Only God will ask them to answer on avoidable deaths. For sure salaries in our Civil Service are just too low. Can someone please help us before I also fall victim of the Nurses strike here in Zambia.
Daniel Chafwa
|
Added:
Tuesday, 30 June, 2009, 16:30 GMT
17:30 UK
As professionals they deserve good working conditions that would permit them to function properly. Besides, as human beings, they are responsible to their families and themselves, which requires resources. Therefore, for me they have all the rights to strike peacefully for better working conditions.
Amigos S. MORIE, Monrovia
|
Added:
Tuesday, 30 June, 2009, 16:26 GMT
17:26 UK
I am not a medical Doctor or a Nurse, but being a Zambian I feel I need to express my views over this issue. To be frank our hard working medical workers in the country deserve much more that what they get per month. I wished they could at least get what they get twice a month rather than once a month. The shameful part however, is the loss of life when these professionals go on strike. Come on we can do better than that. Life saving should be a responsibility of every citizen.
Perry Silozi, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
|
Added:
Tuesday, 30 June, 2009, 16:16 GMT
17:16 UK
I am not a medic, but I believe that a workman deserves a commensurate reward. Government should not hide under any guise to treat these people shabbily. If government values the lives of the patients so much then something has to be done to nib the strike in bud. Medics should not also ask for outrageous compensations, knowing very well that their services are essential. All should work together in the interest of humanity. A hungry nurse might direct his/her syringe wrongly. Win-win encouraged
Johny Joe, Warri-Nigeria
|
Added:
Tuesday, 30 June, 2009, 16:08 GMT
17:08 UK
Much as agreed that health workers deserve better working condition, I disagree with them abandoning the wards with its patients all in the name of negotiating for better working condition. It happened it Ghana a few months away and I must say that; It is not a good scene, some of the Junior Doctors who were championing the strike action, one of them father needed to be operated upon and his colleague Junior doctor did that. They should read the HIPPOCRATIC OATH
Nii, Accra
|
Added:
Tuesday, 30 June, 2009, 15:53 GMT
16:53 UK
Am a student nurse in gha.na and i think nurses are not treatment fairly in my country because they are not given the incensive they are suppose to be given but when they go on strike like other workers it be the to topic of the day
Sarpong edward, Agogo nurses training college
|
Added:
Tuesday, 30 June, 2009, 15:52 GMT
16:52 UK
Health Workers should be the very last to get involve with strike actions. I say this because they are trained to save lives. As part of the oaths that is administered to Nurses, they should be at all times, under any condition be available to save lives. It is regretable that in Africa, it is the opposite. How many times do we hear on international Wires of Health Workers Striking on other Continents? Lets the good examples of other countries of the World and stop detroying our Continent.
Emmanuel S. Nanon, Monrovia
|
Added:
Tuesday, 30 June, 2009, 15:37 GMT
16:37 UK
I support their strike action 100% cuz nureses work extra hours,days than the very MP,Ministers and even the president that receive all the furbulus salary,benefits,allowances and help name the rest.sympathy isn't the right word to express for nurses tireless efforts in writing appeals upon appeals for increment in their worth.nurses do have warefare too and family to support and take healthy care of.nurses are caring people therefore they must be cared for adequately and promptly to save lives
Jefferosn G Togba, monrovia
|
Added:
Tuesday, 30 June, 2009, 14:57 GMT
15:57 UK
If nurses in first world countries like America can go on strikes for better wages? what is wrong for African health care workers to do the the same when their govts do not worry about improving the health care of it's people? Realize these govt officials travels overseas to sort the best medical care while that of their people continue to collapse at their citizens expense
Alimamy kheiyo Sesay, Sierra leone, USA
|
|
This Have Your Say is
CLOSED
DEBATE STATUS
Total comments: 83
Published comments: 77
Rejected comments: 3
From Have Your Say
|
News and analysis
