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Mukudzei Chingwere-Herald Reporter
Zimbabwe’s standing as a leader in healthcare provision in the region is highlighted as more foreigners come to enrol for training in a range of health professions.
Government has continued striving to upscale health provision systems and facilities, a move which dovetails with Vision 2030 aimed at improving people’s well-being.
While Zimbabwean-trained health professionals were accepted wholeheartedly in most countries, finding it easy to emigrate with the Zimbabwean certificates, prior to the Second Republic Zimbabwean patients used to flock to international destinations in search of quality medical care, but the numbers are gradually lessening with Government now preparing for the arrival of health tourists, those coming to Zimbabwe for health care.
Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals is currently training 12 foreign nurses in different specialties and one from Botswana graduated yesterday joining 700 others that graduated from a range of nurses courses.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony held at Parirenyatwa yesterday Vice President and Minister of Health and Child Care Dr Constantino Chiwenga through Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care Dr John Mangwiro said Zimbabwe remains committed to continuously improving the quality of local nurses.
“Let me underscore that my Ministry’s thrust under National Development Strategy 1 is to accelerate the training of healthcare professionals to international standards,” said VP Chiwenga.
“I would like to applaud the Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals for their significant contribution towards the realisation of this important goal.
“Today we are witnessing the graduation of a total of 700 nurses from various disciplines, which is a significant contribution to the healthcare staff required for effective and efficient service delivery to our citizenry.
“It is common cause that nurses trained in our local health institutions have proved their proficiency and professionalism within and beyond Zimbabwe as we witness demand for our professionals all over the globe.
“Not only that, we have also witnessed an increase in the number of foreign students coming to Zimbabwe for specialized nurse training programs, of which Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals currently has a total of 12 and one of them is graduating today,” said VP Chiwenga.
He told the graduating nurses that Government was committed to improving the conditions of services of nurses.
“Government remains committed to retaining and motivating our well-trained and experienced healthcare staff. This is done through the provision of monetary and non-monetary incentives,” said VP Chiwenga through Dr Mangwiro.
“To the graduates, I urge you to continue advancing your nursing careers through continuous training and development and also uphold high professional and ethical standards in the discharge of your duties.
“These attributes will go a long way towards enhancing public confidence in the health delivery system and improving the quality of life for our people.
“We, therefore, expect you to distinguish yourselves in your various nursing specialties by delivering quality nursing care and embracing the principles of good customer service,” said VP Chiwenga.
Sr Refilwe Mosau a Batswana nurse who advanced her training here and graduated yesterday said she leaves Zimbabwe with competence required at an international scale and lavished praise at the quality of Zimbabwean training.
“I am a nurse at Princess Marina Hospital which is the main referral hospital in Botswana. We do not train specialist nurses in our country so that is what made me come to Botswana for specialist training.
“I was training in intensive care and coronary care nursing. It was for a year and I can tell you that it was rigorous, I leave here as a well-trained nurse. Parirenyatwa is one of the best schools in southern Africa,” said Sr Mosau.
Sr Auxillia Chida who won three trophies and a shield for her academic excellence urged colleagues to work hard.
“I was training to be a nurse in anaesthesia from July 2019 to December 2020. At the moment I am stationed at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals as a clinical instructor in anaesthetics.
“I am happy that I have achieved this and what I can say is that hard work pays and God blesses all efforts.
To the nurses and instructors, I can say with hard work nothing is impossible,” said Sr Chida.
Online Reporter