The Sunday News
Vusumuzi Dube, Senior Reporter
THE Government has given the greenlight for the recruitment of more nurses to complement the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic as the ongoing job action by the health workers enters its second month.
Cabinet last Tuesday resolved to recruit more nurses from the available pool of unemployed nurses noting that the strike was grossly affecting the health delivery service.
Speaking at a post-Cabinet briefing, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Monica Mutsvangwa said Government will also recruit additional staff to run Covid-19 tests.
“More nurses will be urgently recruited from the available pool of qualified nurses, while processes to resolve those on industrial action continue. In addition, to strengthen the Covid-19 response, Government will recruit additional staff to run Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests, including unemployed graduates.
“Government will also expedite the secondment and recruitment of additional staff such as nurses, laboratory scientists so as to strengthen health delivery system and national response to the Covid-19 outbreak,” she said.
The minister revealed that modalities were also being put in place to enable industrial and innovation hubs to produce Viral Transport Media (VTM), a critical ingredient in PCR tests currently in short supply, so as to enhance testing capabilities.
