Family doctors are critical to Zimbabwe’s health system, but until now, there has been no specific training programme for doctors who want to develop a career in family medicine. ZHTS is helping to change that.
In Zimbabwe, two-thirds of all registered doctors work as generalists either in the public sector or private practice. Those working for government, municipalities and mission hospitals support nurses who provide primary health care while dealing with more complex cases themselves. Such doctors are frequently largely unsupported, but have to deal with a wide range of challenging medical and surgical problems. In a typical day these doctors may carry out ward rounds, see patients referred by nurses, and deal with common emergencies such as fractures, obstructed labour (when caesarian section is necessary) and teach nurses. In private practice generalists provide continuing primary care to a group of people, but may also care for in-patients and perform surgical procedures.
Despite the wide range of skills expected of generalists and their importance in Zimbabwe’s health system, until now there has been no specific training programme for doctors who want to develop a career in family medicine.
Since 2012, ZHTS has been working with the College of Primary Care Physicians of Zimbabwe (CPCPZ). We are currently developing a partnership with Medics Academy to make available on-line continuing medical education to all generalist doctors in the country.
In 2014, clinicians from all 10 provinces of Zimbabwe attended the National Mental Health Training at Parirenyatwa, Harare hospital.
Mental Health Recovery Training at Ingutsheni hospital, Bulawayo
