Health and Child Care Minister Douglas Mombeshora said that the government plans to recruit nearly 20,000 health workers affected by funding cuts from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
These workers, including doctors, nurses, and village health workers, were heavily dependent on USAID support.
Over 1,000 doctors and nurses played a key role in treating opportunistic infections, while nearly 19,000 village health workers were essential for primary healthcare. Approximately 15,000 of these workers received payments from partner organisations.
The cuts, triggered by an executive order from former President Donald Trump, have hurt Zimbabwe’s HIV/AIDS, TB, and malaria programmes.
Speaking at last week’s “Ministers Meet the Media” engagement, Mombeshora confirmed that the Treasury is mobilising funds to ensure these workers are absorbed into the government payroll. He said:
<blockquote>
We, as the Ministry of Health, have already planned to take over all health workers under the ministry’s employment.
There were accountability issues because some health workers employed by NGOs (non-governmental organisations) and partners had unclear reporting structures. At times when they were absent, we didn’t know their whereabouts.
We had already started these discussions last year to say all workers in the health system must be put under the Ministry of Health and if partners are coming in to help us, they can come in and top up, but all employees must belong to the ministry.
Treasury is actually mobilising funds to make sure we take over all these workers and make sure they will be on our payroll, including even recruiting extra ones because we have a compact way we agreed that we need to double our health workforce by the year 2030.
</blockquote>
Mombeshora also reassured the public that there are sufficient stocks of antiretroviral (ARV) medications to meet the country’s needs until the end of June 2025. He added:
<blockquote>
However, shipments meant to cover the period from June to December have been stopped and we cannot wait for the outcome of the 90-day review process before acting.
In terms of service delivery, in terms of those who are on HIV and AIDS treatment, there will be no disruption; there will be no shortage of any medicines. No one should actually be scared; no one should actually start worrying.
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.sundaymail.co.zw/lifeline-for-20-000-health-workers">The Sunday Mail</a>

Pindula News

The government is going to hire 20,000 health workers who lost their jobs because of funding cuts from USAID. These workers are important for treating diseases like HIV, AIDS, TB, and malaria in Zimbabwe. The government will use its own money to pay these workers. The Minister of Health said they need to hire more health workers by 2030. He also said there is enough medicine for people with HIV and AIDS until 2025, but they need to figure out how to get more medicine after that. People should not worry, there will still be enough medicine for everyone.

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