Police in Zambia have blocked a protest by doctors who want to be employed by the government.
Police in riot gear stopped the medics from marching up to State House in Lusaka, where the doctors wanted an audience with President Hakainde Hichilema.
One of the marching doctors, Wallace Ndumba, told privately-owned Diamond television that medics will no longer offer free service as volunteers because of unfulfilled promises to give them paid employment.
More 800 doctors are unemployed in the country and they are hoping to be employed in the forthcoming recruitment round of health personnel.
Recently, Zambia’s Minister of Health Sylvia Masebo said the recruitment of 11,200 medics will begin in March.
-BBC-