Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals has graduated 227 nursing professionals across 10 specialities, strengthening Zimbabwe’s healthcare workforce amid rising cases of non-communicable diseases and persistent infectious disease threats.
The Health and Child Care Permanent Secretary, Dr Aspect Maunganidze, presided over the hospital’s 2026 Nurses’ Graduation and Prize-Giving Ceremony, in Harare, yesterday, where the graduates were equipped to support healthcare delivery across various clinical and administrative fields.
The graduating cohort comprised 75 General Nurses, 29 Community Nurses, 25 Midwives, 24 Nursing Administrators, 20 Ophthalmic Nurses, 13 Oncology Nurses, 12 Intensive Care Nurses, 11 Nurse Anaesthetists, nine Operating Theatre Technique Specialists and nine Renal Nurses.
Addressing the ceremony, Dr Maunganidze said Zimbabwe’s healthcare system was facing increasingly complex challenges, as the rising burden of non-communicable diseases such as cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases coincided with persistent infectious diseases, including cholera, typhoid and mpox.
“These challenges, coupled with rapid technological advancements and rising public expectations, underscore the need for a nursing workforce that is highly skilled, adaptable and compassionate,” he said.
While acknowledging the growing role of technology in patient monitoring and clinical decision-making, Dr Maunganidze emphasised that technological advancements could not replace the human connection between nurses and patients.
He said nurses remained essential in recognising patients’ fears, providing emotional reassurance and safeguarding their dignity throughout treatment and recovery.
Dr Maunganidze reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to strengthening the nursing profession, describing it as a critical pillar of Zimbabwe’s healthcare system.
He said a robust health delivery system capable of providing quality services to all citizens was essential to achieving President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Vision 2030 goal of transforming Zimbabwe into an upper-middle-income society.
The graduation comes as the country continues to prioritise the development of specialised healthcare skills to improve patient care and strengthen the capacity of health institutions to respond to evolving public health needs.
