Zimbabwe to train 7,000 health workers yearly

Published: 3 hours ago

The Government has announced plans to train 7 000 health workers every year in a bid to address the country's critical shortage of medical professionals and double the national health workforce by 2030.

Health and Child Care Minister, Dr Douglas Mombeshora, said the strategy was aimed at bridging the wide gap between Zimbabwe's current staffing levels and international recommendations. Speaking during a hospital tour in Bulawayo last week, Dr Mombeshora highlighted that the country's population had grown from 7,5 million at independence to an estimated 16,5 million today, yet the health sector's workforce had not kept pace.

"We currently have about 26 health workers per 100 000 people, but the World Health Organisation recommends 46. That means we must double our workforce. While this cannot happen overnight, our target is to achieve it by 2030," he said.

Dr Mombeshora noted that the shortage of specialist doctors was particularly concerning. At United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH), a key referral centre, there are no radiologists or pathologists, while Ingutsheni Central Hospital, the largest psychiatric institution in the country, operates with just two specialist psychiatrists.

Ingutsheni's chief medical officer, Dr Nemache Mawere, revealed that the hospital is struggling to meet demand with only 15 mental health nurses trained annually, far short of the 100 needed. "We are training four general medical officers through the University of Zimbabwe, but under the ‘use it or lose it' policy, we are also set to lose four posts to other hospitals," he said.

The minister admitted that retention remains a major challenge, with many health professionals leaving the country for better opportunities abroad. "We have to increase training, but also improve remuneration. There is no point in training and then losing those we will have trained," said Dr Mombeshora, adding that the government is engaging Treasury to design competitive packages to retain staff.

To boost training capacity, nurse intakes have already been expanded. "Last year we started with 400 per intake, with three intakes per year. Now we are at over 600 per intake. Our target is to train about 7 000 health workers per annum," Dr Mombeshora said.

He also confirmed that while Zimbabwe continues to build its own pool of specialists — a process that takes at least four years — the country will continue to recruit foreign experts, particularly from Cuba, to cover urgent gaps.

The minister's hospital tour covered United Bulawayo Hospitals, Mpilo, Ingutsheni, and Cowdray Park Health Centre, where he emphasized that the government's ultimate goal is to ensure every hospital and clinic is adequately staffed to serve the nation's growing population.
- Sunday News

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