Nurses in Eastern Province have complained of poor social economic welfare.
Zambia Union of Nurses Organization ZUNO Provincial Chairperson, Japhet Mulita also says that nurses work in poor conditions that compromise the quality of health delivery.
Speaking during commemoration of International Nurses Day in Lundazi district yesterday, Mr. Mulita pointed out stress arising from long working hours as one of the major problems.
Mr. Mulita says that with the lifting of the wage freeze, government should consider employing more health staff as the country has a lot of qualified nurses, who are jobless.
And Eastern Province Permanent Secretary, Chanda Kasolo says the conditions of service for nurses should be treated as a special case.
Speaking during the same occasion, Mr. Kasolo further explained that following the lifting of wage freeze, government is to recruit more than 2000 health workers country wide.
Mr. Kasolo says with the construction of hospitals and 650 health posts country wide, government will be able to absorb most trained health nurses.
He indicated that government was ashamed to see trained and qualified nurses being unemployed.
The event was commemorated under the theme: ‘Nurses: a force for change: care effective, cost effective”.