Zimbabwe commits to advancing Africa’s health workforce agenda

Rumbidzayi Zinyuke

Health Reporter

Zimbabwe has reaffirmed its commitment to advancing Africa’s health workforce agenda through increased recruitment, expanded training and improved retention of health professionals.

Presenting Zimbabwe’s statement on the Africa Health Workforce Agenda 2026–2035 at the ongoing 76th Session of the World Health Organisation Regional Committee for Africa yesterday, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Child Care Dr Aspect Maunganidze said the country was already implementing measures to strengthen its health workforce.

Zimbabwe has expanded its health workforce establishment, recruited more than 5 000 health workers in 2025 and commenced further recruitment in 2026.

Government is also investing in the expansion and modernisation of health training, with plans to substantially increase the annual production of health professionals by 2030.

“However, we recognise that workforce numbers alone are not sufficient. We must ensure equitable distribution, retention, appropriate skills, decent working conditions and sustainable financing, particularly for rural and underserved communities,” he said.

Zimbabwe also highlighted the challenge posed by the international migration of health professionals, calling for responsible and ethical recruitment practices that protect countries that have invested public resources in training their health workers.

“Migration is a legitimate right, but it must not result in the depletion of the health workforce of countries that have invested scarce public resources in their education and training,” said Dr Maunganidze.

He called for stronger continental and global cooperation on sustainable health workforce financing, training, retention and migration governance, adding that these measures were critical to building resilient African health systems.

Dr Maunganidze said Zimbabwe fully supported the Africa Health Workforce Agenda 2026–2035 and would work with other member states, WHO and partners to build a resilient, competent, motivated and equitably distributed health workforce across the continent.