Let’s empower health sector

sundries came back into the hospitals and the nation has a good starting point for the complete recovery of the health delivery system.
The medical fraternity is grateful for that and is there to help complete the gap that is left but the integration of medical personnel into Government empowerment programmes is worrying. The Training and Research Support Centre and EQUINET under the directorship of Dr Rene Loewensen have done a lot of work on health professional retention in East and Southern Africa and what remains critical for Zimbabwe is implementation based on existing government policies in the country.
So little has been done on the ground in Zimbabwe to integrate health professional retention into government programmes and policies. The fact that the health sector has continued to suffer brain drain in the wake of land reform, sale of diamonds and other minerals is regrettable. Unfortunately the empowerment and indigenisation drive has turned a blind eye on the health sector thereby marginalising the segment.
As such Zimbabwe will continue to train health professionals for other countries if the gap between Government policies and health professional retention is not bridged. It is true our Government still does not have clear cut policies on empowering health professionals and this continues to force them to opt for other countries where there are better packages for the professionals.
Freezing of posts caused by a slow economic growth has resulted in unemployment amongst occupational therapists, physiotherapists and nurses leaving them with no option than to leave the country in search of greener pastures. To curb this problem a clear empowerment programme for the sector should be introduced to ensure that the country keeps if not attract what it has trained.
In fact no true empowerment and indigenisation policy leaves out health professionals as they are key to the future of the nation. As an initiative by health professionals, the HPE Trust has brokered vehicle loan schemes, housing schemes and laptop schemes for health professionals in order to transform the lip-service on the ground into a workable solution to make living conditions tolerable for them to remain in the country.
Major challenges are in financing these schemes due to lack of support from central Government as well as from banks and lending institutions. The media has been awash with news of people owning vast tracts of land in Zimbabwe, people benefiting directly from the sale of minerals, top Government officials driving luxurious vehicles, multiple farm ownership, and other vices being performed in broad daylight.
What will become of Zimbabwe if the health professionals we trained do not come back? Prominent people seek medical attention outside Zimbabwe because they are ashamed of the mess they have caused in our health sector.
The health sector can only get back to its feet if huge investments are made into the sector, some shares are reserved for health related trusts, companies registered by health professionals are also given a fair chance in the indigenisation programme and if health professionals involve themselves in governance issues.
These are the only strategies that will maintain the numbers that have not left the country and act as lucrative measures to lure back those health professionals that have settled in different countries across the globe.
The HPE Trust calls upon all health professionals to come together and speak with one voice and push our government to prioritise health. We also call upon health professionals regardless of political affiliation to take interest in governance issues and to put pressure on community leaders to take health issues seriously. Without you, the human race will become extinct.
We urge the National Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Board and the Minister of Youth, Indigenisation and Empowerment to cede company shares to the Health Professionals Empowerment Trust to ensure that communities in any district in Zimbabwe benefit through health oriented programs. Investing in health is investing in the future of Zimbabwe.
Those who wish to support our health professional retention projects through provision of land for housing schemes on hire purchase, construction of medical centres where health professionals are shareholders are most welcome.
There is a lot of enthusiasm among young health professionals who are waiting for business opportunities as well as financing of health activities and retention schemes.

l Dr Chizhande is former Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association president and is director of the Health Professionals Empowerment Trust and writes in his own capacity.