Zimbabwe is training enough doctors but is losing them to neighbouring countries

About 360 doctors are graduating in Zimbabwe every year but the country is losing them to the region resulting in a distortion in which the country now has one doctor for every 250 000 patients instead of being self-sufficient.

Deputy Minister of Health Aldrin Musiiwa said the ideal situation is to have three doctors for every 1 000 patients.

Musiiwa said Zimbabwe is training enough doctors but the problem is retaining them. When pressed on figures, he said, 360 are graduating every year.

“It is an issue of great concern when we lose trained and qualified staff.  However, it is a situation pertaining across the board in the country.  At the moment, our salaries compared to those that pertain in the region and abroad are much lower,” Musiiwa said. 

“Until our economic situation improves, it is going to be very difficult.  However, what we have done as a Ministry is, in respect of junior doctors, we have provided accommodation within the institutions which they work on at lower rates.  We have also allowed them vehicle loans as a way of retaining them.”

Q & A

DOCTOR TO PATIENT RATIO IN ZIMBABWE

HON. CHIMANIKIRE asked the Minister of Health and Child Care:

a)  To state the current doctor to patient ratio in Zimbabwe.

b)  What would be the ideal ratio; and

c)  What steps is the Government taking to improve on the doctor to patient ratio.

THE DEPUTY MINISTER OF HEALTH AND CHILD CARE (HON. MUSIIWA):  Hon. Chimanikire wanted to find out the current state of the doctor to patient ratio in Zimbabwe.  Well, in terms of ratio it is 0.0792/1000 population.  To put it more simply, we have got less than one doctor for every 250 000 people.

He also went on to ask what would be the ideal ratio.  The ideal ratio would be to have at least three doctors per every 1 000 population.  He also has a third part to the question which says, what steps the Government is taking to improve on the doctor to patient ratio.  Our response is at the moment, we actually are training enough doctors for the country.  We are currently lobbying for Treasury to allow us more posts so that we can employ more doctors otherwise, we are training enough doctors.  If we have enough posts then we should be able to have the current ratio.  Thank you.

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