Online Reporter
Rumbidzayi Zinyuke
Senior Health Reporter
Thousands of nurses could soon be spared costly and time-consuming trips to Harare under plans to decentralise registration services and bring critical regulatory processes closer to healthcare workers across the country.
The initiative is expected to make it easier for nurses to register, renew practising certificates and access other professional services without travelling long distances to the capital, particularly from districts such as Binga, Beitbridge and Victoria Falls.
Speaking on the sidelines of the commemoration of the International Day of the Midwife at United Bulawayo Hospitals recently, Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care Sleiman Kwidini said the move is in line with President Mnangagwa’s vision of ensuring that no place and no one is left behind in accessing public services.
He said the current system places an unnecessary burden on nurses and other healthcare professionals from distant provinces who must travel to Harare after completing their training or whenever they need regulatory services.
“We have seen nurses and other practitioners travelling all the way to Harare to do their registrations and other activities. But this is not in line with the President’s mantra that no place and no one should be left behind,” said Deputy Minister Kwidini.
“Can you imagine someone travelling from Beitbridge, Victoria Falls or Binga just to register? This is the time to devolve services.”
He said authorities had resolved to establish registration offices in the southern region to ensure services currently available only in Harare become accessible to health workers closer to where they live and work.
“They should come down to the southern region and set up offices so that all the services being given in Harare are also found in the southern region. Everyone is equal and should be able to access services. Our nurses and professionals will be happy with that,” he said.
Newly qualified nurses are required to register with the Nurses Council of Zimbabwe before they can practise professionally.
The registration process, which includes verification of qualifications, issuance of practising certificates and updates to professional records, remains largely centralised in Harare.
As a result, many nurses from Matabeleland North, Matabeleland South, the Midlands and other distant provinces incur significant transport and accommodation costs in order to complete mandatory professional requirements.
Health sector stakeholders have long advocated for the decentralisation of regulatory services, arguing that the current arrangement disadvantages healthcare workers in remote areas and creates barriers to professional practice.
The proposed reforms are expected to reduce travel expenses, shorten waiting times and improve access to essential services for nurses across the country.
Authorities also believe decentralisation will help speed up the deployment of newly qualified nurses to health institutions by reducing delays associated with registration and certification processes.
The move forms part of broader devolution and decentralisation reforms aimed at bringing public services closer to communities and addressing disparities in access between urban and rural areas.
Within the health sector, decentralisation has become a key pillar of efforts to strengthen service delivery, improve working conditions for healthcare professionals and enhance operational efficiency.
Zimbabwe continues to rely heavily on nurses as the backbone of its healthcare system, particularly in rural and hard-to-reach communities where they often serve as the first point of contact for patients seeking medical care.
In recent years, efforts to strengthen the health workforce have included increased training, recruitment and retention of nurses, midwives and other healthcare professionals, alongside measures to improve conditions of service and expand opportunities for professional development.
Officials believe decentralising nurse registration services will complement these initiatives by removing administrative obstacles that can delay the entry of newly qualified nurses into the workforce and hinder the career progression of those already in practice.
