Correspondent|Harare Central Hospital has cut its student nurse intake numbers in half from 72 to 35 and will now take students with passes in a single sitting as the hospital is facing a shortage of tutors, an official has said.

Speaking at the Harare Hospital school of nursing and midwifery graduation and prize giving ceremony, Harare Hospital Chief Executive Officer Nyasha Masuka said the shortage of tutors has resulted in change of policy.

“One of the major issues that I would like everyone to know is that we have a shortage of tutors which has opted a change in policy in terms of recruitment of nurse trainees.

For Harare Hospital, for example, we will be selecting those with at least two advanced levels and passes in ordinary levels.”

Masuka said the Zimbabwe Nurse’s Council did investigations and discovered that qualifications might have been compromised.

Masuka however said the country was facing a shortage of nurses.

“But as you know we have a serious shortage of nurses in this country and our nurse population ratio is very low so we need more numbers of these nurses especially for care of children and maternity.”

Speaking at the same occasion, Health and Child Care Minister Moyo concurred with Msuka saying the change in policy would help bring well qualified nurses.

A total of 276 students from different categories ranging from registered general nurses, intensive and coronary care nurses, midwifes, theatre nurses and pediatric nurses graduated.

M&T