Zimbabwe Nurses Association elected new office bearers during their annual general meeting held in Nyanga last week. The new council, which represents close to 10 000 nurses in the country is tasked with improving conditions of work for the profession.

Ms Regina Smith and Mr Simangaliso Mafa retained their positions as president and general secretary respectively. Mr Mugove Chipfurutse is the new organising secretary and Ms Angeline Matinhure also retained the vice general secretary post while Ms Margaret Munatsirei is the new treasurer.

Ms Smith said the new council would continue to lobby for better working conditions and has started engaging the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare.

"The major concerns pertain to the poor remuneration our profession is encountering and the disparities in the allocation of donor money by the Health Services Board," she said.

The least paid nurse in the public service earns US$260 while the highest paid earns less than the poverty datum line which currently stands above US$600.