Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Health Monica Mutsvangwa [Photo: All Africa]
Zimbabwe’s Health Service Board says in the year 2021, more than 2,200 of its health professionals have taken up jobs in the US, UK, Australia and neighbouring states.
This is more than double the number of medics who left in 2020 and three times the number that left in 2019.
The Country’s Health Service Board says this has affected an already fragile health system, which suffers from a lack of medical equipment and medicines.
This comes amid repeated government promises to improve wages that remain low.
An average worker in the public sector takes home less than 200 dollars monthly, while in the UK they can earn 10 times as much.
This comes after Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Health in October approved a public service health orientation aiming to offer training to the health workers on patriotism.
Health Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said this was to help reduce the medic’s strikes and brain drains.
The policy is however proving to be ineffective following the increased numbers of health professionals who are dropping government jobs for greener pastures abroad.
The government also promised the health personnel non-monetary incentives such as accommodation, free WiFI, transport and free meals in a bid to stem out the brain drain in the health sector.
This comes as the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a minimum of 23 doctors per 10,000 people.
During the last survey which was done in 2015, there was an average of just 1.6 doctors per 10,000 people.
A newsmaker, reporter and anchor at Pearl Radio, Ndalilah Sharon is witty and savvy.
She is also a firm believer of Christ.