growing health crisis in Zimbabwe.
“Zimbabwe is facing the biggest health crisis in human history. AIDS is the main reason why Zimbabwean life expectancy has fallen to 35 years. As a result of the Mugabe regime’s violence and economic sabotage thousands of our health care workers have fled the county. Many are working in Britain,” explained Shane Lunga, Chair of Zimbabwe Futures, a pressure group campaigning for policies essential for the reconstruction of Zimbabwe.
“When political change comes to Zimbabwe we are going to need a massive injection of skills into our health service to help prevent the next generation of Zimbabweans becoming HIV positive. Zimbabwean doctors and nurses could be an advance party able to restore clinics and get care to the millions of Zimbabweans who are sick with AIDS.
“Unless we are ready with this response we will have a sick workforce and no basis for long term economic recovery.”
Blair recently set up a review of policy on the brain drain of African health care workers.
“We are calling for Africans working in the NHS to be giving the right to take leave from their jobs in order to go home to improve health services. Nigerian, Ghanaian and Zimbabwean staff are among those who have worked long hours in British hospitals. It is time to allow them to put their skills at the service of the countries that paid for their training,” said Lunga.
According to World Health Organisation 2006 figures Zimbabwe has a medical practitioner to population ratio of 1: 6250 doctors and 1:1400 nurses while the ratios in UK are doctors 1:400 and nurses 1:80.
Post published in: News