A TEAM of Matabeleland activists have made a public appeal for groceries and other basics to assist 29 nurse trainees from poor backgrounds who have been enrolled for the May intake.
BY NQOBANI NDLOVU/PRAISEMORE SITHOLE
The activists operating under the umbrella term Volunteers Team 2020 have been assisting aspiring nurse trainees from the region, particularly the marginalised, with the application process.
As many as 300 aspirants from the region were assisted for the May intake with access to internet, technical advice on the e-application portal and preparation for interviews among others.
Among those assisted by Volunteers Team 2020, 29 passed interviews and are set to start nurse training, Southern Eye has heard.
“In light of our previous experiences on challenges faced by some assisted marginalised successful applications, such as inability to afford uniforms and other materials for use when they commence classes, we thus appeal to well-wishers to help us support these young people with basic requirements to push them until they get their first allowance in July 2020,” the Volunteers Team 2020 said in a public appeal.
“This could come in terms of sanitary wear, socks, uniforms, stethoscopes, nursing watches as well as stationery or any kind.”
Michael Ndiweni, a member of Volunteers Team 2020, said they also noted improvements in the May intake exercise after raising complaints, staging protests and petitioning Parliament over the past “flawed” process.
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The activists had argued that a combination of centralisation of the e-applications portal, interview venues, the entire design of the portal, and the discrimination of applicants who have not received their certificates from the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council was to blame for the unfair enrolment.
“There has been improvement in terms of communication from the (Health) ministry and also feedback. There seems to be a bit of a change from the rushed and less thought kind of approach which was very conflictual,” Ndiweni said.
“Unlike the other intake, this time the ministry has allowed students to conduct interviews at their nearest centres which is an improvement also.”
The Health ministry in 2019 introduced an online e-recruitment exercise for aspiring nurses following allegations that the previously used centralised system at its head office in the capital, Harare was open to abuse and corruption.
This was after Matabeleland activists protested against what they described as a questionable recruitment of trainee nurses at Mpilo Central Hospital, United Bulawayo Hospitals and Brunapeg Mission Hospital in Matabeleland South.
A number of Zapu leaders were also arrested recently for forcing the temporary closure of Brunapeg Hospital as they protested the unfair recruitment of trainee nurses.
