Members of the Zimbabwe Nurses Association have opted for a 72-hour stay-away instead of planned public demonstrations amid claims that nurses were intimidated and discouraged from protesting publicly. The stay-away, however, is already raising serious concerns about its impact on patient care, with fears that disruptions in services could put lives at risk. The government, on the other hand, maintains that limited revenue collection and budget constraints make it difficult to meet the demands of civil servants, including healthcare workers. We spoke to Zimbabwean activist, General Sithole.