The ongoing impasse between government and Botswana Doctors Union (BDU) has resulted in a good number of doctors across the country not showing up to work. This is at least according to Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health Professor Oathokwa Nkomazana. She authored a founding affidavit in a case in which the Directorate of Public Service Management (DPSM) took on the BDU over what they term a strike by doctors. DPSM acting on urgency sought an order directing BDU to cease and desist from causing, procuring, counselling, or influencing its members, who are employed in the public service under essential services, from breaching their contracts of employment and/or committing an offence in terms of the Trade Disputes' Act, Cap. 48:02. They also wanted the court directing and ordering BDU to intervene and/or take reasonable steps to ensure that their members who are employed in the public service under essential services and/or who render essential services don't otherwise conduct themselves in an unlawful manner. Justice Isaac Bahuma issued an interim interdict on April 18, 2025, effective immediately. BDU is to show cause this morning as to why the order isn't to be made permanent. Nkomazana states in his affidavit that BDU members performing emergency call receive 15% emergency call allowance.
The respondent and/or its members consider this inadequate and negotiations between the parties haven't resulted in increased or enhanced remuneration for emergency call. She stated that on April 3, BDU issued a press release stating that the government through inter alia, the DPSM, had failed to meet and finalise the remuneration of the emergency call of doctors and gave an ultimatum of 72 hours to finalise this and failing finalisation, its members will perform one emergency call per month or 26.4 hours of emergency call and that the public is informed there will be provision of minimum service beyond the 72-hour deadline. She further states that on April 6, BDU issued a further press release to the effect inter alia that from April 7 its members will undertake one emergency call per month equating to 24 hours: its members were to ensure minimum staff availability per hospital per call; and shalln't be allowed to do more work than stipulated. “On April 10, 2025 the respondent issued a further press release to the effect of which was to cause, procure, counsel, or influence its members not to work more than one emergency call or to limit emergency call to a maximum of 26.4 hours,” Nkomazana submitted.
