By Health Reporter-The administration of President Emmerson Mnangagwa has come under renewed fire after blocking over 4,000 Zimbabwean nurses from migrating to the United Kingdom and other destinations in search of better-paying jobs.
Despite having paid the mandatory US$300 for verification letters — a prerequisite for nurses seeking overseas employment — thousands of applicants have not received the critical documents. Without these letters, they cannot register or be employed abroad.
A senior official in the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare revealed that more than 6,789 Zimbabwean nurses are currently working in the United Kingdom, while another 1,000 have been absorbed by Ireland’s health system. The exodus of skilled medical personnel has left local hospitals severely understaffed, with nurse-to-patient ratios soaring to as high as 1:30 in some wards — far above the recommended ratio of 1:6 to 1:10.
Zimbabwe Nurses Association (ZINA) president Enock Dongo condemned the government’s move, calling it a “blatant infringement” of nurses’ constitutional right to seek employment.
“We are gravely concerned about the violation of nurses’ rights. It has come to our attention that nurses who have completed their mandatory bonding are being denied their diplomas and verification letters — documents necessary for them to seek employment, locally or internationally,” Dongo told NewsDay.
“Over 4,000 nurses are currently affected by this injustice. Every nurse has the right to choose an employer of their choice, and this heavy-handed approach must stop.”
The government’s decision is widely seen as part of a broader crackdown on health worker mobility amid a worsening crisis in the public health sector. For years, the state has been reluctant to address the poor working conditions and meagre salaries that have pushed thousands of skilled professionals to seek greener pastures.
In 2019, at the height of a doctor-led strike over pay and conditions, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga — who was also the Health and Child Care Minister at the time — sparked outrage when he referred to medical professionals as “ordinary workers” and “skilled labourers” rather than professionals with a right to negotiate better terms. Chiwenga accused them of being politically manipulated and went on to fire over 400 striking doctors.
Under his leadership, the ministry also implemented stiff bonding regulations that forced nurses and doctors trained at government institutions to work for the state for several years or risk hefty penalties — including being denied credentials needed to work abroad.
Critics say this latest move to withhold verification letters is an extension of that punitive policy and undermines the fundamental freedoms of health professionals. Civil society groups and labour unions have urged the government to focus on addressing the root causes of the brain drain — including poor pay, lack of resources, and political interference — rather than restricting workers’ movement.
Zimbabwe’s public healthcare system has been in a state of near-collapse for years, plagued by chronic underfunding, dilapidated infrastructure, and widespread shortages of drugs and equipment. Meanwhile, health workers often go months without decent pay, and many earn less than US$200 a month.
Observers say unless urgent reforms are implemented, Zimbabwe risks further deterioration of its already fragile health system — not because professionals are unwilling to serve, but because they are being pushed out by neglect and repression.