Gibson Mhaka, Senior Reporter
GOVERNMENT has lauded the private sector for actively complementing its efforts to build a robust health delivery system, stating that true devolution lies in a province’s capacity to train, employ and retain its own healthcare workforce.
The remarks were made by Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution in Bulawayo Metropolitan Province, Judith Ncube, who was the guest of honour during the inaugural graduation ceremony of the Africa Centre for Global Health Innovation and Research (ACGHIR) held at the Zimbabwe International Exhibition Centre (ZIEC) in Bulawayo yesterday.
A total of 42 pioneer health professionals comprising 23 pharmacy technicians and 19 dispensary assistants graduated at the event.
In a speech read on her behalf by the Deputy Director of Administration in her office, Mr Julius Gwatiwa, Minister Ncube said the emergence of private training institutions in Bulawayo directly answers the Government’s call under the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) and its transition into NDS2 (2026–2030) towards Vision 2030.
“Today is not just a graduation; today is proof that devolution is working. Today is proof that when we say leaving no one and no place behind, we mean it.
“For too long, our young people in the southern region have travelled far to access quality health training. Today, ACGHIR has brought that training to Bulawayo,” said Minister.
She noted that building local capacity strengthens healthcare across the entire southern region, as Bulawayo’s major referral centres — Mpilo Central Hospital, United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH), and Ingutsheni Central Hospital — also serve Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South, Midlands and Masvingo provinces.
“We are proud to see private players complementing Government in the training of pharmacists and supply chain professionals who will ensure medicine availability, forecast accurately, reduce stockouts, expiries and losses and always put the patient first,” Minister Ncube said.
“Devolution is not about buses. Devolution is about people. It is about a child in Pumula getting medicines on time. It is about a mother finding a trained professional at her clinic.
“It is about a province that can train, employ and retain its own health workers.”
Speaking at the same event, ACGHIR Principal Mr Lemson Machibiza said the institution was founded in 2022 and aims to turn Bulawayo into a centre of excellence in public health training and research.
He highlighted that with Government piloting private sector participation in nurse training, ACGHIR stands fully prepared to expand into nursing education under the devolution framework.
“When we started at ACGHIR, we started with a vision that young people in the southern region should not travel far to be trained as health professionals. Today that vision is wearing a graduation gown,” Mr Machibiza said.
He challenged the graduates to maintain strict ethics, particularly as Zimbabwe implements the 2026 Pfizer agreement to enhance medicine access and supply chain efficiency.
“As today bears testimony to our ability, we are ready, Honourable Minister, to embrace the
devolution of nurse training for private schools at ACGHIR. To our graduates, serve with integrity.
In pharmacy, one expired medicine or one wrong forecast can cost a life. Always remember that behind every commodity, there is a patient,” said Mr Machibiza.
He said ACGHIR is registered with the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development under HEXCO and accredited by the Pharmacists Council of Zimbabwe (PCZ).
It becomes the second private institution in the country to offer pharmacy technician training after the Harare Institute of Public Health (HIPH).
