Zimbabwe to Criminalise Foreign Recruitment of Health Workers

Constantino Chiwenga, Zimbabwe’s Vice-President made an announcement that Zimbabwe is looking into introducing a new law that would make recruitment of the country’s health workers an illegal procedure for other nations.

The purpose of this decision is to prevent the loss of valuable healthcare professionals to other countries, which has been a concern for a long time in Zimbabwe’s healthcare system.

Mr. Chiwenga, who is also the health minister continued to say that the loss of healthcare professionals is comparable to human trafficking. He announced stricter penalties for those who he alleged had deprived the nation of its human capital.

According to the Zimbabwe Medical Association, the country has about 3,500 doctors for a population of 15 million people. Zimbabwe is facing an economic crisis characterized by high inflation that has significantly reduced wages.