Doctors in Zimbabwe say they are being forced to use condoms when performing examinations due to the shortage of gloves.

The doctors who have been on strike for three weeks are demanding that the government address what they describe as a critical shortage of critical medicines as well as surgical and medical essentials.

Similarly, they are asking for payment of salaries in United States dollars after the government ruled out payment of wages in US dollars while negotiations have failed to yield good results.

The Treasurer of the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association (ZHDA), Prince Butawo, said, "We are forced to compromise and (beyond) our limits, and doctors ask as to when will this bush medicine we are practicing will end," said Butawo.

"We have what we call the DRE procedure in which we are expected to wear gloves, but the gloves are not available.

Butawo who spoke with journalists on Friday during a protest by the doctors at Parirenyatwa hospital in Harare lamented that "instead of using bare fingers we have now resorted to the use of condoms for us to perform that procedure.

"There are a lot of things; for instance, gynaecology in women, we now have to use condoms instead of gloves.