Staff Reporter
Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care, Sleiman Timios Kwidini, has reproached nurses for dancing in uniform, saying it is degrading and undermines the key role they play in society.
The deputy minister’s remarks come barely a week after Tino, the 18-year old daughter of controversial businessman and presidential advisor Paul Tungwarara, made nurses dance for US$100 each at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals.
An official commissioning event took an unusual turn after the nurses were invited to dance for cash in the presence of guests who included VIPs such as senior government and business people.
For their twerking, the nurses each received US$100, in what has been widely deemed to be humiliating and a sign of economic desperation on the part of the health workers.
The nurses danced to famous Sungura artist Alick Macheso, imitating his popular Borrowdale dance.
Videos of the incident, which occurred while nurses were waiting for the arrival of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, went viral, stoking widespread condemnation.
Unimpressed by the incident, Deputy Minister Kwidini has warned nurses not to dance while in uniform as it is humiliating and emasculates the role they play in society.
“Ngatitambei chibhasikoro tisiri mu uniform. Zvinotibvisa chiremera,” said Kwidini, Shona for “Let us not dance to music while in uniform. It is degrading.”
Tino almost broke the internet after videos of her dishing out US$100 bills to nurses in uniform, she picked to have danced better than others made it online.
She also announced additional support for health workers, including monthly food hampers.
Her initiative comes at a time when public hospital workers have raised concerns over salaries, shortages of medicines and deteriorating working conditions.
Nurses at public hospitals have staged industrial action in recent weeks over pay and supply shortages.
