A range of non-monetary incentives such as accommodation, transport and vehicle loans for health workers added to their package is seen as a way of retaining health staff and moderating the brain drain that has seen critical numbers of doctors and nurses leave Zimbabwe.
The emigration by health care staff has left public health
facilities struggling to provide adequate health care for all Zimbabweans.
Speaking yesterday after the Cabinet meeting, Information,
Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said the
Inter-Ministerial Committee had identified the causes of the brain drain in the
health sector and come up with holistic ways of stemming it.
“To stem the brain
drain a committee was therefore set up to look holistically into the following
issues: mechanisms to accelerate provision of non-monetary incentives, such as
staff accommodation, transport, vehicle loans, canteens and cafeterias, and
wifi-facilities connectivity; measures to improve the remuneration of tutors in
nurses training colleges and administration of nurses training colleges;
judicious adjustment of monetary benefits; and addressing the disparity between
the urban and rural health personnel incentives in order to attract personnel
to rural areas,” she said.
Minister Mutsvangwa said Government was also pursuing
bilateral agreements with destination countries for local health professionals
within the World Health Organisation framework.
Besides catering for the welfare of health care workers in
Government institutions, Government is now transferring health workers from
municipal employment in the Harare and Chitungwiza council clinics to the
Public Service Commission to centralise payment of essential services and
ensure timely payment of salaries.
The move to address the challenges being faced by health
workers has been amplified by Covid-19 which exposed the need to strengthen
public health systems.
Although Zimbabwe has been recording a decline in Covid-19
cases as the third wave recedes, the country remains on high alert for an
imminent fourth wave of infections. This will need a vibrant health care staff
complement.
Minister Mutsvangwa said the number of new infections had
decreased during the past week with the daily average of new cases almost
halving over the week.
“This is attributed to the comprehensive response by the
Government. There has been a general decline of Covid-19 cases reported in
schools.
“The Ministry of Health and Child Care remains on high
alert to contain any surges in Covid-19 cases in learning institutions,” she
said.
The Government was also implementing measures to increase
the pace of national vaccination.
As of October 11, a total of 3 176 744 people had received
their first dose of the vaccine while 2 417 442 had received their second jab.
“The Ministry of Health and Child Care has dispatched a
team to Chitungwiza to raise awareness and ramp up vaccination efforts to raise
vaccine uptake by residents in Chitungwiza.
“Cabinet wishes to further inform citizens that the country
is expecting a delivery of 5 000 000 syringes in November 2021. This will
complement the 13 243 200 Covid-19 vaccines which have so far been procured,”
said Minister Mutsvangwa. Herald
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