Zimbabwe has begun implementing a long-term strategy to expand and rebould its health workforce, placing human resources at the centre of national health system reforms as the country moves to address staffing gaps, skills shortages and unequal access to care.
Minister Douglas Mombeshora said Zimbabwe has made a deliberate policy shift to treat human resources as a foundational pillar of healthcare delivery rather than a peripheral issue.
Dr Mombeshora said this approach was formalised with the signing of a Human Resources for Health Investment Compact on 17 October 2024, which commits Zimbabwe to doubling its health workforce by 2030, with implementation already underway.
“Zimbabwe has placed Human Resources for Health at the centre of its health system reforms,” said Mombeshora, adding that early indicators show progress beyond initial projections.
He said training outputs, particularly for nurses, have already exceeded annual targets, reflecting expanded training capacity and closer coordination between training institutions and service delivery needs.
In 2025 alone, the government availed 5 284 additional health worker posts across the system, with further expansion planned for 2026 and beyond.
Dr Mombeshora said the reforms are deliberately designed to address long-standing inequalities in access to skilled health personnel, especially in rural and hard-to-reach communities.
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Zimbabwe, he said, is prioritising equitable distribution through targeted recruitment, rural allowances, improved accommodation and structured career progression pathways aimed at retaining staff outside major urban centres.
“The goal is clear: no community should be left behind due to the absence of skilled health personnel,” he said.
The Minister also emphasised the role of regional cooperation in strengthening specialist capacity, noting that Zimbabwe continues to both benefit from and contribute to cross-border training initiatives within the region.
He said Zimbabwe has hosted trainees from neighbouring countries, while Zimbabwean health professionals have undertaken advanced training in Zambia and South Africa, helping to retain skills within the African continent rather than exporting expertise outside the region.
Dr Mombeshora said Zimbabwe’s health system already rests on a strong foundation of undergraduate and postgraduate clinical training, supported by extensive hands-on exposure.
He noted that several sub-specialist competencies, including cardiothoracic surgery, hepatobiliary surgery, cardiology and nephrology, have been developed through regional partnerships, particularly with South Africa.
These collaborations, he said, have strengthened referral systems and reduced dependence on costly external care, while also improving local capacity to manage complex cases.
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