HARARE – Thousands of healthcare workers in Zimbabwe are facing a major setback in their efforts to secure jobs abroad, after the government withheld verification letters that are essential for work applications outside the country.
The letters, which are issued by the Nurses Council of Zimbabwe (NCZ), confirm that the holder of a nursing certificate has qualified as a nurse. They are required by many employers in other countries as proof of qualifications.
The government’s decision to withhold the letters has been met with widespread criticism from healthcare workers and their unions. They say that the move is a deliberate attempt to frustrate nurses who are trying to leave the country for better-paying jobs.
The Zimbabwe Nurses Association (ZINA) has called on the government to immediately release the letters and to stop interfering with the NCZ’s work.
“The government’s decision is a clear violation of the nurses’ rights,” said ZINA president Enock Dongo. “It is also a major setback for the country’s healthcare system, which is already struggling to cope with the brain drain.”
The government has not yet commented on the allegations.
The decision to withhold the verification letters is the latest in a series of measures taken by the government to try to stem the brain drain of healthcare workers from Zimbabwe. In recent years, the government has also introduced a number of restrictions on nurses who want to leave the country, including requiring them to pay a bond of up to US$10,000.
The brain drain of healthcare workers from Zimbabwe is a major problem for the country’s healthcare system. The country is already facing a shortage of nurses, and the situation is only getting worse as more and more nurses leave for better-paying jobs abroad.
The government’s decision to withhold the verification letters is a major setback for the country’s healthcare system and for the nurses who are trying to leave the country for better-paying jobs. The government must immediately reverse its decision and allow nurses to freely seek employment abroad.
