Health and Child Care Deputy Minister Sleiman Kwidini says the government plans to reintroduce locum funds in all public hospitals to motivate health workers to remain in the public sector.
During a tour of the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) last week, Kwidini said that the funds would provide additional income for nurses, doctors, and laboratory scientists, encouraging them to stay at work and perform locum duties. Said Kwidini (via <a href="https://newsday.co.zw/southerneye/local/article/200038725/govt-to-reintroduce-locum-in-public-hospitals-kwidini">Southern Eye</a>):
<blockquote>
It was also reducing the turnaround time for our patients in the hospital because everyone would be attended to in time.
There were no shortages and it would cover the gap in human capital. So if we return this, it is another way of motivating our staff.
You have seen it is an outcry which is happening in our institutions that doctors are not readily available when patients have come because some will be going out for locums.
But we are saying we had this system in our ministry so we are now engaging the ministry and other responsible authorities to reintroduce it. Then we make sure that these locums are funded, it motivates them.
</blockquote>
A locum is a person who temporarily fulfils the duties of another who is absent. For example, a locum doctor may work in a hospital to cover for another doctor who is on leave.

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The government wants to give extra money to health workers in public hospitals to encourage them to stay and help more patients. This extra money is for nurses, doctors, and lab scientists who work extra shifts called locums. Locums help fill in for workers who are not there. The government thinks this will help patients get treated faster and better because more workers will be there. The plan is to bring back this extra pay and support for health workers.

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