Following the week-long strike by doctors, there are reports that some patients admitted at the Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) lost their lives. Should the government be blamed for the loss of lives?

NO. I think the blame should go onto the doctors. This is because they failed to weigh up the respective values of money and of life. Doctors perform ‘a calling, which should prompt them to save lives first. Money comes second. I should however be understood well; I am not against the meeting of their demands, but at least they should have raised their demands while working. Even the law that allows them to strike requires them to establish minimum services at the workplace.
Rhoda Michaeli – Student.

YES. I am of the opinion that the full blame should go onto the government for two reasons. One, the doctors took that action because the government failed to pay them their allowances which was in fact their right. Secondly, the government officials used a language that was demoralising to these experts, treating them as if they were schoolchildren. Telling doctors to go back to work and at the same time refusing to meet their demands was very unfair.
Tumaini Joseph – Social Worker.

YES. The government should be blamed for whatever happened to patients during the doctors’ strike. In the first place, the government had been advised by the MNH CEO to increase the doctors’ salaries by 30 per cent but they ignored him. On top of that, the government did not take immediate action to resolve this conflict; instead it flexed its muscles, ignoring the consequences to patients. This I think automatically reflects the government’s perception of these life savers: they are less than important.
Severin Thadeus – Tutor.

YES. The government should be blamed for the loss of lives during the doctors’ strike. What they are getting is so little compared to some professionals, yet their importance is paramount. It beats me to think that a cleaner in some parastatal organisations is paid more than a doctor. This alone is enough for anyone to note that the government regards doctors as of less importance than cleaners. Had the government taken care of the doctors fairly, then they would not have laid down their tools and no lives would have been lost.
Linus Makendi – Activist.
 

Compiled by Timothy Kitundu.