‘Zimbabwe’s health sector in crisis’— says poverty-stricken and overworked nurses in ill-equipped medical facilities

THE Zimbabwe Nurses Association (ZINA) has called on the government to urgently intervene to solve the crisis facing the health sector, including low salaries, under-staffing, and lack of medical equipment and sundries.

Last month in March, nurses at Sally Mugabe Hospital staged a demonstration protesting against the deteriorating working conditions, including paltry pay, non-availbility of electricity and running water, reflecting the widespread gripe over the poor standards.

In a statement, the ZINA president, Enock Dongo, said the health sector has been plunged into a crisis as nurses are living below the poverty datum line (PDL).

“Currently, the salary of a nurse remains at a paltry US$240 and an additional amount in ZiG that equates to approximately US$150— an income far below the poverty datum line.

“This situation has rendered our nurses incapable of sending their children to school, buying clothes, affording food, or even securing transport to work. Many are walking long distances to their workstations, while others are forced to live in overcrowded single-room accommodations with their families due to an inability to pay rent. This is not only unacceptable— it is pathetic and dehumanising,” said Dongo

The association urged government to urgently review nurses’ salary to at least $840, a figure reflective of the pre-October 2018 exchange rate.

“We urgently call on the government to review and adjust nurses’ salaries to a minimum of US$840, a figure that reflects the pre-October 2018 value, when the exchange rate was 1:1.

“Such a revision is critical to alleviating the chronic underpayment and harsh living conditions being endured by our health workers,” said Dongo.

He also indicated the critical shortage of medical equipment and resources in hospitals, which he says has led to public blame directed at nurses for inadequate patient care.

“Furthermore, the working conditions in public health institutions are dire. Most hospital buildings are dilapidated and no longer fit for purpose.

“There is a severe lack of medical resources, equipment, and essential drugs. In the absence of these tools, nurses are being unfairly blamed by the public for delays and inefficiencies,” Dongo added.

“They are overburdened by improvisation, leading to long queues, slow service delivery, and increased suffering of patients. This also results in heightened exposure to infections and extreme fatigue for the nurses,” said Dongo

He also added that, “The chronic shortage of staff is worsening the situation, with the nurse-to-patient ratio as high as 1:20 or even 1:30 in some wards. This is unmanageable and endangers both patient care and nurse wellbeing.

“We demand that the government urgently recruit more staff and consider the reintroduction of locum arrangements, allowing nurses on leave or off-duty to work additional shifts for fair compensation.”

Futhermore, ZINA has also raised concerns over the delay in issuing academic credentials to nurses upon completion of their training, affecting over 4,000 nurses, who are unable to secure employment as a result.

“We are also gravely concerned about the violation of nurses’ rights. It has come to our attention that nurses who have completed their mandatory bonding are being denied their diplomas and verification letters —documents that are necessary for them to seek employment, locally or internationally.

“This is a blatant infringement on their right to choose their employer, and we demand immediate release of these documents to all eligible nurses. Over 4,000 nurses are currently affected by this injustice.

“Another pressing issue is the government’s unreasonable rental charges for nurses staying in government accommodation. Nurses have been charged up to US$120 per month for basic rooms, and shockingly, these deductions are made from the US dollar component of their salaries, not the ZiG portion,” said Dongo.

The government has also been urged to align with international labour practices.

“Lastly, we call for alignment with international labor practices for shift work. Nurses often work long, irregular hours and should be entitled to fewer working days per week to reduce fatigue and the risk of occupational exposure to infections. This model in standard practice in many countries and must be adopted here to safeguard both nurses and the patients they serve,” said Dongo.-newzimbabwe