IN October 2022, President Emmerson Mnangagwa commissioned the Great Zimbabwe University (GZU) Simon Mazorodze School of Medical and Health Sciences in Masvingo.
That was one of the greatest milestones in the history of medicine in the country and the first cohort of medical students came in March 2023.
The medical school now prides itself in three intakes, the first of which will commence clinical attachment at the upgraded Masvingo Provincial Hospital in 2026.
The dedication and diligence shown by the dean of medicine, Jacob Mufunda, is amazing.
The school has embarked on an extensive expansion programme with the introduction of more academic programmes.
Beginning 2026, GZU Simon Mazorodze School of Medical and Health Sciences will introduce a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing Science and Bachelor of Science Degree in Environmental Health.
Zimbabweans stand to benefit immensely as the country continues to churn out highly-qualified personnel that will surely drive the nation forward.
A Health workforce is one of the cornerstones of a solid health delivery system of every country including financing, governance, service delivery, information technologies and medicines according to World Health Organisation's 2007 building blocks.
Zimbabwe has trained highly-knowledgeable medical personnel that continue to be head-hunted by developed countries.
The last few years have seen at least 7 000 health workers migrating to greener pastures.
This level of brain drain will be catastrophic if it continues unabated.
The bottom line is that medical personnel is disgruntled because of uncompetitive remuneration, inadequate intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, lack of job development opportunities and the general toxic micro and macro-economic environments.
Zimbabwe is known to be a highly literate country in the world, with a literacy rate above 90%.
The country has trained thousands of doctors since the first medical school was established in 1963 as an affiliate of the University of Birmingham.
Today, the country boasts four medical schools, the latest addition being Simon Mazorodze School of Medical and Health Sciences at GZU.
Midlands State University School of Medicine makes use of Gweru Provincial Hospital, a public health institution, which has undergone extensive refurbishment in recent years to suit national standards of a teaching hospital.
Masvingo General Hospital is under serious renovation. Construction of critical infrastructure is ongoing and sooner rather than later a teaching hospital status will be achieved.
Masvingo Hospital medical superintendent Noel Zulu and his team have worked tirelessly to make sure our medical students do not experience hiccups when clinical attachments begin.
More and more specialists are supposed to join Masvingo Hospital, a move that will bring smiles to millions of people in the province and the nation at large.
The upgrading of Masvingo General Hospital will be sweet news not only for medical students, but also for Masvingo province as a whole.
Medical services that used to be sought in major cities will be available in Masvingo.
That alone is a serious milestone that will save many lives.
Many surgical operations can be done at the general hospital, making it very efficient in terms of service delivery.
Health and development are symbiotic in nature and it is undeniable that development occurs where there is sound health.
The training of more doctors will help in reducing the doctor-patient ratio which stands at more than 1: 7 000 in our country.
Everyone knows that the working conditions of civil servants are not pleasant, alas, the team at GZU Medical School should be applauded for its resilience.
Some come for teaching out of passion and we cannot talk of the medical school without mentioning the sedulous contribution of renowned vice-chancellor Rungano Zvobgo and his administration -- respected dean Mufunda, deputy dean Zirima, Noel Zulu, William Pote, Bathelomeau Gundidza, Julian Chazovachii, Trouble Burukai and many others whose names I could not mention.
The diligence shown by the pioneer team should not go unnoticed as the medical school continues to grow.
Government should, therefore, play its part in staff retention and I was thrilled to hear that Masvingo Provincial Affairs and Devolution minister Ezra Chadzamira pledged commonage stands to lecturers as part of extrinsic motivation.
The support of the minister will plug a lot of holes in brain drain and we expect all Provincial Affairs and Devolution ministers to honour lecturers at their respective universities.