Norman Dururu
GWERU – Zimbabwe’s uneven distribution of health workers, with rural and hard-to-reach areas facing critical shortages, could undermine the country’s efforts to achieve universal health coverage by 2030, the Health Services Commission (HSC) has warned.
Speaking at the graduation of registered general nurses, midwives, nurse anaesthetists, and environmental health technicians at Gweru Provincial Hospital, HSC chairperson Dr. Vincent Hungwe—represented by HSC deputy chairperson Dr. Rugare Abigail Kangwende—said that only about a third of clinical health workers serve in rural areas, where two-thirds of Zimbabwe’s population lives.
“This is a glaring inequity and goes against the spirit of devolution and decentralisation,” he said.
Dr. Hungwe said that although development partners are currently paying allowances to health workers in hard-to-reach areas and to tutors at training institutions, this support is expected to end in December this year.
He said the HSC is at an advanced stage of developing an objective, scientific, and data-driven system for classifying rural and hard-to-reach health institutions into three categories as part of a special incentive scheme aimed at attracting and retaining health workers in underserved areas.
“We call these three zones Red, Amber, and Green, according to the degree of hardship prevailing in each area. Red would be the hardest-to-reach areas, with the largest number of incentives allocated to workers deployed there,” he said.
Dr. Hungwe said the commission’s target is to have the rural workforce retention scheme fully functional by early 2027.
The scheme will help bridge the gap expected to emerge following the withdrawal of development partners and donors, while also ensuring coverage across the country.
He said a study conducted about three years ago established that Zimbabwe does not have enough health professionals to meet the needs of the population and achieve universal health coverage by 2030.
“Our plan, therefore, is to double the health workforce by creating and funding at least 32,000 new posts for health workers by 2030 and to retain those workers in service,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Midlands Province, Owen Ncube, commended the graduation of a record 336 nurses and 57 environmental health technicians, all of whom achieved a 100 percent pass rate.
He also praised the government for decentralising nurse training to districts, including Chirumanzu, Mberengwa, Gokwe South, and Gokwe North, saying the move aligns with the government’s mantra of leaving no one and no place behind.
However, he urged the graduates to uphold professional standards and provide compassionate care to patients.
Minister Ncube said it is disheartening to hear reports of poor patient care at some health institutions.
“I appeal to you, my dear graduates, not to neglect patients in the various ways that communities complain about,” he said.
“The nature of your work calls for patience, tolerance, compassion, and love for those under your care, even when they are not your relatives.”
