In response to the persistent challenges faced by the health sector, including the availability and distribution of competent health workers, Zambia’s Health Minister, Sylvia Masebo, has announced significant steps taken by the government to alleviate this concern. Minister Masebo emphasized the importance of bolstering the healthcare workforce to meet the country’s healthcare needs effectively.
During a recent speech at the 3rd graduation ceremony of 1,656 health professionals from Levy Mwanawasa University, Health Minister Sylvia Masebo reaffirmed the government’s commitment to addressing the shortage of healthcare professionals in the country.
Minister Masebo acknowledged the pressing need for additional healthcare workers and highlighted the government’s efforts in this regard. In 2022 alone, the government employed over 11,000 health workers, a significant step toward enhancing the country’s healthcare capacity. She further revealed that the government plans to recruit an additional 3,000 health workers in 2023.
Through these recruitment initiatives, Minister Masebo explained that the government aims to streamline health promotion and disease prevention efforts within communities. By ensuring an adequate number of competent health workers, the government intends to improve healthcare access and quality, ultimately reducing morbidity and mortality rates.
Minister Masebo commended Levy Mwanawasa Medical University for its role in producing highly skilled and competent healthcare professionals. The institution’s contribution to the healthcare sector aligns with the government’s goal of addressing the critical shortage of healthcare workers in the country.
In her absence, Health Permanent Secretary Christopher Simoonga delivered Minister Masebo’s speech during the graduation ceremony. He echoed the government’s commitment to strengthening the healthcare workforce and providing quality healthcare services to all Zambians.
Levy Mwanawasa University Vice Chancellor Prof. Elwyn Chomba expressed the institution’s dedication to creating a conducive learning environment for healthcare students. Prof. Chomba emphasized that the university would continue to adapt its education and training systems to meet the evolving healthcare needs of the population.
Shortage? We need more doctors. I think nurses and others are adequate. From my observation that’s.
For a change I agree nurses are more than adequate
the need is for more CREDIBLE DOCTORS
In the run up to the 2011 elections, the MMD under RB hastily commissioned quite a good number of District Hospitals, Mini Hospitals and Health Centers. They picked workers from established centers and assembled a skeleton team to operate the newly built facilities. In some cases some workers were doing double shifts without any rewards. The MMD lost elections and the PF never made any significant recruitment of health workers and as a result some centers don’t operate 24/7 as required. Further, the PF bought and distributed a lot of equipment which is lying idle as there are no experts to operate them. So this is a welcome development
You have failed to provide medicines in hospitals and affordable mealie meal, yet you are hiring more people. This is madness
Yes there’s plenty of nurses but they are ill trained and don’t properly look after patients. We need medical laboratory technicians and radiologists. Specialist doctors are also required
Our nurses are not illtrained. They lack passion and fidelity. A large number is so indisciplined that it makes them look to be in a showy display at beauty contests than in the July Festival.
People become nurses because there are no jobs…. it’s not their passion.
The onset on private training institutions has posed a new challenge. We have graduate nurses that don’t have the minimum requirements for admission into college, just like there are teachers. Some colleges don’t fail you, no matter how incompetent, as long as you’re paying fees. The Higher Education Authority doesn’t have the capacity to oversee the activities of these institutions, besides, some are owned by members of the regulator. In Zambia we no longer have morals nor standards. It’s free for all.
Ayatolla.
How does GRZ have HPCZ Licentiate Exams LX this week in the morning that got leaked? Another replacement exam in the afternoon same day also got sabotaged. No morals, no standards, no discipline.
Nursing is a very serious profession. It is a crucial medical service so dont recruit people who just want a job. Recruit people with a heart for others. I was helpless in hospital when I discovered just how important nurses are and from then I adore this profession
This number recruiting in 2023 is too small. Get rid of district commissioners, deputy ministers, excessive permanent secretaries etc etc and increase the number of doctors.
Do we still have deputy ministers?
Remember ,there is also an employment quota directly related to the health budget.
The are thousands in training in health institutions, are they all going to be employed by the government?