The
verification letters, which cost US$300 each, are a prerequisite for nurses to
secure jobs overseas.
However,
despite paying, thousands of nurses have not received the documents.
A senior
official from the Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare ministry disclosed
that more than 6 789 Zimbabwean nurses are working in the United Kingdom, while
Ireland has absorbed at least 1 000 others.
The
nurse-to-patient ratio in Zimbabwe is as high as 1:20 or even 1:30 in some
wards.
In an
interview, Zimbabwe Nurses Association president Enock Dongo, however, told
NewsDay that every nurse has the right to choose an employer.
“We are also
gravely concerned about the violation of nurses' rights. It has come to our
attention that nurses who have completed their mandatory bonding are being
denied their diplomas and verification letters — documents necessary for them
to seek employment, locally or internationally.
“This is a
blatant infringement of their right to choose their employer and we demand
immediate release of these documents to all eligible nurses. Over 4 000 nurses
are currently affected by this injustice,” Dongo said. Newsday
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