By Aldridge Dzvene
After a decade-long wait, St. Albert’s Hospital has celebrated 288 nurses, including primary care nurses, midwives, and upskilled professionals, equipping a new generation of health heroes ready to tackle Zimbabwe’s toughest healthcare challenges and drive progress toward Vision 2030.
The graduation highlights the remarkable resilience of St. Albert’s Hospital, which continues to train highly skilled nurses despite limited infrastructure and human resource challenges. For the graduates, the ceremony represents more than personal achievement, it is a commitment to serve, lead, and innovate within communities across Zimbabwe.
Mrs. Chiwara, Director of Nursing Services in the Ministry of Health and Child Care, emphasized the ministry’s strategic efforts to strengthen the nursing workforce. She highlighted the Health Workforce Strategy, aimed at retaining nurses through proper grading, fair salaries, and policies to prevent burnout, while ensuring that nurses remain motivated and committed to their profession.
Curriculum revisions for primary care nurses, midwives, and registered general nurses are underway, designed to equip nurses with the skills to manage emerging health challenges, protect patient safety, and combat global threats like antimicrobial resistance. Infection prevention and control measures, she noted, are central to safeguarding both patients and healthcare workers.
The strategic direction for nursing and midwifery encourages graduates to actively shape policies, mentor peers, and support community health workers, bridging gaps between hospitals and local communities. Revisions to the National Health Strategy and Community Health Strategy will further empower village health workers, ensuring stronger healthcare delivery at the grassroots level.
The Ministry of Health is also committed to doubling nurse recruitment, improving workforce distribution, and preventing staff shortages, particularly in midwifery, where high mortality rates remain a challenge.
As these 288 graduates step into the workforce, they carry technical expertise, leadership skills, and a deep sense of responsibility. Their dedication, combined with strategic national initiatives, positions them to transform Zimbabwe’s healthcare system and contribute meaningfully to Vision 2030, marking this ceremony as both a celebration of achievement and a promise of progress.
