Women’s Legal Resources Centre (Wolrec) has asked the Ministry of Health to address demands by health workers in the wake of coronavirus pandemic.

Wolrec Executive Director Maggie Kathewera Banda said through a statement that the current sit-in by health workers is depriving women and other vulnerable groups access to health services.

Banda has since described the development as unfortunate.

She said the move is great injustice to women and other vulnerable groups as most of them cannot afford private health care and access to health care is one of the fundamental human rights.

“We regard this occurrence as structural violence against women,” reads part of the statement.

Banda has therefore called upon the ministry to ensure that Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital is opened and fully functioning.

Health workers in the country’s public hospitals are on sit-ins in order to force government to provide them with personal protective equipment (PPEs) and increase their risk allowances.

On Monday the Ministry of Health bowed down to pressure to revise risk allowances for healthcare workers.

Under the revised rates, workers on higher grades will now be pocketing K60,000 from K1,800.

However, National Organisation of Nurses and Midwives (NONM) refused to comment on the matter claiming that the organization was yet to receive an official letter from the ministry.