The Government has increased practicing certificate fees for nurses by 150% to US$50, with the fees payable in local currency at the prevailing official rate.
According to a report by NewsDay, practicing certificates determine whether a health worker is qualified in the country, and is renewed every year.
In a circular dated February 10, 2023, Nurses Council of Zimbabwe registrar Mercy Chaka said:
Certificates for good standing and confirmation letters are to be paid in USD only.
Registration and re-registration fees US$50; transfer to admin register US$50; application for private clinic US$500; application for certificate for good standing US$300, application for confirmation letter US$300.
Zimbabwe Nurses Association (ZINA) president Enock Dongo said the majority of nurses will not afford the new fees. He said:
If they don’t pay for the practice licenses, it means they no longer have a valid practicing certificate.
A lot of nurses will not afford to pay for that certificate. If one fails, they are not allowed to practice as a nurse.
There are penalties when you also fail to pay on time. What it means is that there is no justification at all costs. It demotivates the already demotivated health workers.
There is nowhere in this economy where one can afford that amount from $20 to $50 which is more than a 150% increase.
They started by increasing the letter for good standing from US$150 to US$300 as a way to block nurses who wanted to go outside the country to look for greener pastures.