Africa-Press – Botswana. The long-running negotiations between the Botswana Doctors Union (BDU) and the Government of Botswana over emergency call compensation have collapsed without an agreement, prompting the union to impose strict limitations on doctors’ participation in emergency calls.
In a press statement issued by BDU President Dr. Kefilwe Selema yesterday, the union announced that all engagements with the government had ended on May 16 without any “zone of possible agreement,” citing the government’s refusal to address what the union describes as legitimate and lawful concerns about fair compensation for emergency duties.
“Doctors are not asking for special treatment,” Dr. Selema stated. “We are demanding equal treatment — the same basic labour rights that apply to every other employee in the public service. This is not sustainable, not lawful, and not humane.”
Citing the Employment Act’s provisions on work hours, overtime, rest, and compensation, the union said the government has continually failed to apply these standards to medical and dental doctors. The BDU condemned the government’s characterization of their demands as “positional bargaining,” calling it a misrepresentation of their principled stance.
Action plan
The union has resolved that, starting Monday, May 20, each doctor will only respond to one emergency call per month until fair and lawful compensation measures are in place. In addition, doctors who performed more than one emergency call between May 1 and May 20 under an interim consent arrangement will not be required to take further calls in subsequent months equivalent to the number already performed.
The union emphasized that this step is not a protest, but a “measured, responsible” legal response to the government’s failure to uphold its obligations. “It is a matter of fairness, not protest,” Dr. Selema explained, adding that doctors cannot continue to subsidize the public health system at the cost of their personal time, health, and well-being.
Appeal
The BDU called on the public for understanding and assured patients that doctors remain committed to delivering quality care. However, the union stressed that they could no longer carry the burden of an unsupportive system.
To its members, the union urged unity, professionalism, and resolve. To the government, the message was clear: “The door remains open — but our dignity is not negotiable.”
The fallout from the breakdown in talks is expected to put pressure on the public health sector, already strained by resource limitations and staffing challenges. All eyes are now on the government’s next move in what is shaping up to be a critical standoff over healthcare workers’ rights and working conditions.
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