daniel chigunwe
Sunday Mail Reporter
THE number of health professionals leaving Zimbabwe to work in foreign countries declined last year compared to previous years, latest statistics from the Health Service Commission (HSC) show.
The attrition rate (which measures employees who leave over a period of time) in the public health sector has declined steadily from 8 percent in 2021, 7,4 percent in 2022, 4,8 percent in 2023 and 3 percent last year.
HSC secretary Dr Christopher Pasi told The Sunday Mail that the Government’s initiatives to enhance working conditions and remuneration of healthcare professionals had partly mitigated the haemorrhage of skilled medical personnel.
“The number that has left for other countries is not absolutely known. However, the number that left the public health sector as of October 2023 was 1 191.
“As of October 2024, the attrition rate for the public health sector stood at 3 percent. This rate has gradually declined from 8 percent in 2021 to 7,4 percent (2022) and 4,8 percent (2023),” he said.
The commission, he said, has since embarked on a comprehensive strategy to address the shortage of healthcare workers and further reduce the attrition rate.
The current Health Workforce Strategic Plan is premised on doubling the health workforce by 2030.
“We want to progressively refurbish and expand health training schools across the country and strengthen digital learning platforms to scale up the current training capacity,” Dr Pasi said.
The country’s public health sector has lost over 8 000 workers from nursing, radiography, laboratory and pharmacy, among other health speciality areas, since 2018.
To meet the World Health Organisation (WHO)’s recommended threshold for universal health coverage by 2030, Zimbabwe requires approximately 109 000 health workers.
However, the Government has pledged to double the health workforce by 2030 through expanded training and education programmes, refurbishing and expanding health training schools, and strengthening digital learning platforms.
“The HSC, with other stakeholders, advocated Zimbabwe to be placed on the WHO safeguard list to reduce active recruitment of its professionals,” added Dr Pasi.
“We also introduced health-specific allowances indexed to the USD and worked towards non-financial incentive schemes, such as housing/vehicle guarantee funds, to cushion the health workforce.
“We are currently conducting a job evaluation exercise to address pay relativity issues in the public health service and improve the morale of the health workforce.”
Public health expert and Great Zimbabwe University lecturer Dr Johannes Marisa lauded the Government for addressing the health workforce’s concerns.
“As the Government takes proactive measures to improve working conditions and remuneration of health professionals, the hope is that the trend of the nursing exodus will continue to slow down. This will ensure the availability of qualified and dedicated personnel to provide essential healthcare services to the people of Zimbabwe.”
