‘An Evaluation of the Effect of Labour Out-Migration on Public Health Service Delivery. A Focus On Doctors and Nurses at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Zimbabwe.

Abstract

Due mostly to their exodus to other countries, Zimbabwe is experiencing a severe shortage of nurses and doctors with specialized training. Studies that have mostly concentrated on the migration of Zimbabwe's general population have paid little attention to the movement of doctors and nurses from Zimbabwe. This study aims to identify the driving forces behind the departure of doctors and nurses from Zimbabwe, assess the effects on the provision of healthcare services, and provide an explanation of how these forces operate within a grounded theory framework for health workforce migration. To do this, a review of the literature and an empirical investigation of a small sample of key informants, primarily drawn from senior management and specialized doctors and nurses at the national hierarchy and up to management level, were conducted. A sample group of thirty-two individuals who had worked in the health industry for at least five years was created using a purposive sampling technique. Individual interviews were used to produce and collect data in order to elaborate on the topics brought up. To analyse the data, initial, intermediate, and advanced coding stages were used. As a result, a grounded theory on the migration of the health workforce was developed. According to the grounded theory, doctors and nurses in Zimbabwe believe that moving abroad is the greatest way to achieve their ideal status. The ideal balance between the working environment, lifestyle, and social standing that health professionals believe is appropriate for those in their field is what is referred to as an ideal status. Health professionals only use migration as a drastic and difficult means of improving one's situation when all other options have failed. By creatively utilizing the numerous interventions adopted by the government, the grounded theory contributes to understanding health workforce migration and retention when compared to previous theories of migration. The study found a link between outmigration and the provision of health services. The quality of healthcare suffered as a result of Zimbabwe's exodus of medical professionals. In order to reduce emigration, the report advises that the government establish and expand retention strategies. It is additionally advised that future researchers take into account broadening the scope of migration, as this study only concentrated on particular staff types.