Zimbabwe deploy army staff in hospitals

Nurses have seen their living standards slump

Hundreds of medical staff in Zimbabwe's army have been deployed to help in hospitals which have been hit by a strike by doctors and nurses.

Thousands of nurses joined doctors on strike at the beginning of the week pushing for huge pay rises, paralysing services in hospitals in the capital, Harare.

The government has dismissed their demands as "ridiculous and disgraceful" and said the strike is illegal as medical staff are operating essential services.

The striking workers are seeking pay rises of up to 11,000% after seeing their salaries decimated by one of the world's highest inflation rates.

Zimbabwe has seen a series of strikes in recent years as the economic crisis in the country has spiralled downwards.

Zimbabwe now has 70% unemployment, 460% inflation rate, chronic food shortages and fuel prices have risen by more than 600% this year.

Critics blame President Robert Mugabe's poor management of the economy, but he blames international opponents of land reform.