adminThe Herald, October 15, 1980
THE existing nurses association in Zimbabwe was firmly modelled on an outdated and discriminatory system, the Minister of Health, Dr Herbert Ushewokunze, told a meeting of about 500 nurses and medical assistants at Harare Hospital.
The nursing community in general did not have representation in the association, he told the nurses representatives from various parts of Zimbabwe who had come to attend last night’s inaugural meeting of the new Zimbabwe Nurses’ Association.
Dr Ushewokunze was loudly cheered as he arrived at the meeting with his deputy, Dr Simon Mazorodze.
He said it was his duty to involve himself in the formation of a professional body that would set the attitudes and standards of health care delivery in Zimbabwe for the future.
“In the past it was inconceivable that a Minister of Health should actively become involved in any matter pertaining to the organisation and delivery of the health effort,” he said.
“This rubber-stamp mentality protected those responsible for health from the realities of their existence.” From this approach, he said, an unrealistic and unbalanced health service had evolved, governed by the needs of the minority and designed to create opportunities for those who fitted into the system based on the criteria of skin colour or attitudes.
“That approach to health would no longer be entertained, he said, and organisations and services would now be designed to meet the needs of the masses of Zimbabwe.”
He advised the nurses not to form an elitist body of state registered nurses; but one that includes all members of the nursing profession.
“The majority must be reflected and represented in the upper governing bodies of the organisation,” said the Minister.
LESSONS FOR TODAY
• The unionisation of the nursing profession was the most important thing done by the new Government under Dr Herbert Ushewokunze since the profession employed mostly women, who needed men to speak for them in most areas.
• Married women were further burdened as they were taxed on behalf of their working spouses. Nursing and the teaching were professions open to women just after independence.
• With the introduction of the Zimbabwe Nurses Association (ZINA), the profession now had people who could represent them and negotiate on their behalf their financial packages and other perks.
• ZINA’s membership stands at around 4 800, out of around 16000 nurses in the country.
• The past two decades have seen a huge brain drain in the healthcare sector as nurses and doctors look for greener pastures in the region and overseas. This has compromised healthcare delivery, at a time when the world needs all hands on deck to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.
• Government, which is the largest employer of nurses has been forced to offer them non-monetary incentives like car loans, accommodation and transportation to curb the brain drain.
Online Reporter