'Zimbabwe faces catastrophic shortage of 58 000 health workers'

Zimbabwe's public health system is on the brink of collapse due to a crippling shortage of nearly 58 000 skilled workers, a new report by the Community Working Group on Health (CWGH) has warned.

The report, released this week as part of the group's position paper on the 2026 National Health Budget, paints a grim picture of a sector buckling under the strain of understaffing, an increasing disease burden, and rising population demands.

According to the CWGH, as of 2023 Zimbabwe's health workforce stood at only 47,5% of the national requirement, translating to a need-based shortage of 57 543 health professionals across all levels of care.

"The deficit is crippling the country's ability to provide even the most fundamental services," the group said, warning that the shortfall threatens progress toward achieving universal health coverage.

The report recommends that government hire an average of 9 758 new workers annually until 2030 to meet the minimum staffing levels needed to provide basic health coverage.

"The government needs to demonstrate its commitment to expand the Ministry of Health and Child Care staff establishment by an average of 9 758 workers per year up to 2030 to meet the projected health workforce need-based shortage," the report stated.

If implemented, this recruitment drive could help Zimbabwe reach 80% Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and 99,1% disease burden coverage, both essential benchmarks in the nation's vision to attain upper middle-income status by 2030.

The CWGH report highlights the importance of a "resilient, motivated, and fit-for-purpose" health workforce, warning that poor working conditions, brain drain, and low morale have undermined service delivery.

It also raised alarm over the termination of contracts for USAID-supported health workers, which has left critical gaps in many facilities and weakened service provision, particularly in rural and primary healthcare settings.

"The termination of USAID-supported posts has worsened the already dire staffing situation, negatively affecting the quality of care and access to essential services," the paper noted.

The group urged government to not only fill vacant posts but also absorb donor-funded positions onto the national payroll to ensure sustainability and continuity of care.

Analysts said the shortage underscores deep structural weaknesses in the country's health financing and workforce planning. Without immediate investment, they warned, the country risks reversing hard-won gains in areas such as maternal and child health, HIV treatment, and disease surveillance.

The CWGH's call for "massive and immediate budgetary action" comes as Treasury prepares the 2026 National Budget, with health advocates pressing for increased funding to strengthen frontline services and improve retention of skilled personnel.

If ignored, the report cautions, Zimbabwe's health system could become "incapacitated to respond effectively to current and emerging health challenges," undermining national development goals.