THERE is something that is so striking about the health system in Zimbabwe.
We have some of the best training facilities.
Even the trainers themselves are magnificent.
The majority of those trained locally are a good sell across the globe.
Who doesn’t want Zimbabwean-trained health workers everywhere across the globe?
It even pains more that the government uses a lot of resources in training nurses, doctors, surgeons, physicists, etc, the list is endless.
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What strikes to the core is that after training the best workers, government goes on to underpay them, make them work under unbearable conditions, ill-supports the health budget every year.
Zimbabwe is a signatory to the Abuja Declaration, which states that all countries that are a signatory should set aside 15% of their national budgets for the health sector.
In successive years, we have faltered on that front.
The College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA) is a good initiative.
And reports indicate that Zimbabwe has recorded a significant increase in the number of orthopaedic and paediatric surgeons as a result of the initiative.
“In 1999, Zimbabwe had 25 orthopaedic surgeons. Today, this number has risen to 48. Forty-two of them have been trained through COSECSA,” said Health and Child Care minister Douglas Mombeshora during COSECSA’s official opening and graduation ceremony in Harare this week.
“The number of paediatric surgeons has grown from one in 1999 to 8, seven of whom are COSECSA graduates. Before COSECSA, there were no plastic and reconstruction surgeons in Zimbabwe.”
He added that Zimbabwe has successfully retained over 96 COSECSA-trained surgeons, who are now serving communities across the country.
That is not all.
Zimbabwe also now boasts six plastic and reconstructive surgeons, a specialty that was previously unavailable.
“Since COSECSA’s founding, the number of trained surgeons in Zimbabwe has risen dramatically,” Mombeshora said.
“Similarly, the number of paediatric surgeons has increased from one to eight, seven of whom are COSECSA graduates.
“Zimbabwe now also boasts six plastic and reconstructive surgeons, a specialty that was previously unavailable. Currently, 117 Zimbabwean trainee surgeons are undergoing training under COSECSA programmes.”
One of the most remarkable outcomes of the initiative has been the retention of talent, with over 96% of COSECSA-trained surgeons remaining in Zimbabwe.
Yes, we have doctors being trained and coming back to serve in the country.
But what is the government doing to entice the doctors to stay on when their internship period comes to an end?
Obviously the plastic and reconstructive surgeons are eyeing going to better economies.
Already, government is at loggerheads with its workers as it is failing to pay them timeously.
It is also failing to pay its workers liveable allowances.
We can go to town celebrating the successes of retaining them, but then will come a time when they will fledge.
We could find ourselves back to square one.
Government needs to find a way to entice them more and make the surgeons stay longer and serve the country.