By Kudzaishe Chimonera
The government says building a stronger, better-equipped health workforce is central to its plans to achieve universal health coverage and reach upper-middle-income status by 2030.
Speaking at a Human Resources for Health dialogue in Harare, Health and Child Care Minister Douglas Mombeshora said an efficient health system is key to the country’s wider economic ambitions.
“Zimbabwe’s aspiration to attain upper middle-income status by 2030 cannot be achieved without a strong and productive health sector,” he said.
The Minister said universal health coverage depends on having enough skilled, motivated and fairly distributed health workers able to respond to emerging challenges such as new diseases, climate-related risks and population changes.
“Our ambition is therefore not merely to increase numbers but to build a fit-for-purpose workforce capable of responding to emerging health challenges, demographic shifts, climate-related threats and evolving disease burdens,” he said.
The government says it has made progress since the creation of the Health Workforce Investment Compact Steering Committee which was set up to improve planning and coordination in the sector.
According to Dr Mombeshora, governance structures have been strengthened and cooperation between ministries and development partners has improved.
One key development has been a nationwide health workforce mapping exercise carried out after cuts in external funding.
Following the exercise, 1 292 critical health posts were prioritised for absorption into the Ministry of Health and Child Care establishment while a further 532 positions have been set aside for future inclusion.
Officials say this is aimed at protecting essential services and retaining critical staff in the public health system.
The government has also developed a retention plan worth about US$11.8m with a focus on rural health workers who often work under difficult conditions.
The strategy goes beyond pay, including improvements in housing, working conditions, career progression, welfare and professional recognition.
“This intervention recognises that retention is not only about remuneration but also about working conditions, accommodation, career development, welfare and professional recognition,” Dr Mombeshora said.
The government says the measures are part of broader efforts to stabilise the health system and strengthen service delivery across the country.
