Healthcare Services at Dzaleka Halted as Staff Strike Over Unpaid Salaries

Patients at Dzaleka Health Centre are being turned away as medical personnel stage a strike in protest over unpaid salaries spanning several months. The walkout, which has disrupted essential healthcare services, has left the refugee camp’s residents stranded and in distress.

According to information gathered by Yetu FM, the majority of healthcare workers at the facility have not received their salaries since April or May. An anonymous source at the hospital revealed that only 20% of the staff were last paid in April, while the remaining 80% received their last pay in May. Since then, there has been no official communication from UNHCR—the main funding agency—regarding when the funds will be disbursed.

The consequences of the strike are being felt acutely. Manes Banda, a patient who arrived at the health centre seeking treatment for chest pains, told Yetu FM that she was turned away without being seen. “I came early in the morning, hoping to get help,” she said. “But no one was available to attend to me.”

The strike has not only disrupted medical services but also raised concerns about the safety and management of hospital equipment. With minimal staff presence, there are fears of theft and negligence, compounding the risks faced by the facility.

Healthcare workers who still report to work cite transportation challenges, with many forced to walk long distances from Dowa Boma due to a lack of transport funds. This has led to late arrivals and early departures, further compromising patient care.

The ongoing salary crisis paints a dire picture for Dzaleka’s healthcare system and calls for urgent intervention to restore normal operations and uphold the right to health for all camp residents.